


Time's Saga: First Life - Prince of Power

by TheFriendlyCritiquer



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time
Genre: Action, Family, Friendship, Political Intrigue, Suspense
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-27
Updated: 2019-08-25
Packaged: 2020-05-20 19:38:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 46,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19383388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheFriendlyCritiquer/pseuds/TheFriendlyCritiquer
Summary: A mother in her last moments under the Great Deku Tree gives her baby to a young Gerudo. Now raised as a prince of a struggling tribe, the young Link attempts to walk in his adoptive father's footsteps. Sent to the castle soon after tragedy strikes, Link learns about his world and the political upheaval just under the surface. He must decide if he will head the princess's call.Updates 3x week until caught up to FanFiction.net





	1. Lady Marie

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Thank you for reading Time’s Saga! I’m honored that you chose to read this. This note will be long, but I want to clarify some important things.  
> This story has been heavily inspired by a few works. If you’ve read them, you’ll probably know which elements I speak of. But I would like to credit those authors who have inspired me and encouraged me to commit to writing this.  
> First is: Child of the Sun, written by Author of Doom Rin https://www.fanfiction.net/s/3369421/1/Legend-of-Zelda-Child-of-the-Sun  
> The first portion of Time’s Saga will follow a similar plotline, but rest assured, this story is its own story. I believe the characters and situations are of my own design.  
> (And for the record, I do not own Legend of Zelda or its characters.)  
> Second is: Legacies and Bloodlines, by nolandsman https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11499045/1/Legacies-and-Bloodlines  
> Her work, world-building, and style of writing I hope to emulate. Its plotline is vastly different from mine, but I’ll be borrowing some of the elements she has written to help with the Time’s Saga world.  
> Third is: Desert Blight by jclbs https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12945513/1/Desert-Blight  
> It’s a fun story that I think brings the essence of LoZ to the forefront.  
> And lastly is: By Fate written by Hawthourne https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11259417/1/By-Fate  
> Hawthourne has done a wonderful job of characterizing without taking things too far out of hand. I hope that I follow a similar pattern.  
> Time’s Saga will be exploring an expanded version of OoT through four ‘books’, though that’s a loose term, called ‘lives’. There is a main overarching plot, but as far as things are currently progressing, it’s slow going. Just warning you. I personally enjoy immersing myself in stories and that’s how this one will be written. If you want to understand what I’m saying, check out what the term ‘saga’ means.  
> Above all I want to make the characters seem real and human, villains included. I am not condoning acts of evil or violence but Ganondorf’s story is too rich and open to not explore. And try to put yourself in Link’s shoes (beyond just playing the game) and think of how that trauma could affect a kid. I don’t want to make this too dark of a series, but there will be sad/ dark/ depressing/ angst moments. Thankfully though, there will also be happy family times, romance, fun, adventure, and friendship. I’m even planning a bit of high school shenanigans as well!  
> I would like your help and input to make this story as best as possible, so please, Read and Review! I already have a clear direction, but if good suggestions come along, or you would like to see a particular character from any of the games make an appearance, I’ll see what I can do!  
> So without further ado, I present:

**Legend of Zelda**   
**Time’s Saga**   
**First Life: Prince of Power**

  
_“Alright, quiet down and I’ll tell you a story about a princess and her knight. Yes, this is one of your favorites, Link. I know that. So let us begin: A long, long time ago there was a beautiful princess. One day, during the Kingdom’s celebration for the Piccori, darkness covered the land…”_

  
**Chapter 1: Lady Marie**

  
Marie couldn’t help but smile at her young child as she rocked in a chair next to the crackling fireplace. A light and sweet tune passed her lips in the form a lullaby to calm the screaming boy. This tender moment passed, and the mother was all too aware of how quickly her child was growing. It also helped that her mother-in-law reminded her to constantly appreciate these moments.

  
“Ah, Lady Marie,” the proud grandmother spoke softly when the lullaby was finished, “the Goddesses have truly blessed you with a gift. With that voice of yours you could calm any raging beast with a few clear notes.”

  
The formality the grandmother spoke with was simply a matter of habit. Those who lived amongst nobility quickly learned to speak in formal tones, even in personal moments such as this.  
The mother looked up with a wide grin and lightly retorted, “I’m not sure about that, Mother Shannon, but it certainly aided in enchanting your son!”

  
Grandmother Shannon threw back her head and in a rather unlady-like fashion, laughed. Lady Marie smiled as she quietly cooed at her child. Grandmother Shannon continued to chuckle as she picked up the embroidery from her lap.

  
They continued on in silence, both completely comfortable in the other’s presence. The only other sounds were the child’s muttering and perhaps the footfalls of passing servants in the hall. With dusk quickly approaching Castletown everyone was quick to finish their business and return to their living quarters for rest. The Zielnski Manor was of no exception to this routine.

  
Though positioned closer to the castle then many other manors, it was a great deal smaller. Indeed, it was perfect for a new minor noble and his small family. It was not without its sprawling gardens and well-stocked cellar though. And it was perhaps one of the oldest manors, having been passed from any number of minor nobles and captain-of-the-guards for generations, however the current ruler saw fit to reward faithful vassals. The current king was of no exception to this rule and saw that his captain-of-the-guard’s young family resided close by as reward for the dutiful soldier.  
Despite the Zielnski Manor’s best efforts at keeping the peace within its aging walls, the tensions of the outside world came crashing through the door in the form of a man.

“Marie! Mother! Marie, where are you!?”

  
Marie quickly stood up, her regal form outlined by her long golden locks. She pressed her blond baby to her chest and called out, “Kendrick, dear, is that you? What are you doing here?”

  
The man in question, Kendrick, was quick to open the door to the sitting room, where by now, both women were standing. They women shared a quick glance between them, their faces mirroring the concerned bright-blue eyes across from them.

  
Sir Kendrick was quick to command, “Quick, put on your traveling clothes. Pack some food. You need to leave. Now.”

  
More than a little anxious, Marie quickly crossed the room and placed a loving hand on her husband’s stubbled cheek. “What is going on?” She whispered.

  
Kendrick swiftly took her hand, lightly brushed his lips over it, then urgently pulled her out the door. He only spared a glance to make sure his mother was following closely before a tumbled of curt sentences spilled out of him.

  
“There’s a large gathering of insurgents on the western side of Castletown. We’ve heard word that they’re here to attack the nobility, as well as the castle. Castletown will be a mess. You need to leave the city. I can’t protect you here. Not when I’m needed at the King’s side. I’m breaking protocol enough as it is, so I can’t see you off. Just be sure to leave by the eastern entrance and keep riding until you get to the forest. Then move south. You should find safety at Baron Ordon’s estate. Stay there until this is over.”

  
During his clipped speech, Kendrick had led the women to the private quarters, and had waved a lingering servant over to help. At the end, breathless, he cupped his wife’s face in his hands and looked at her longingly. Suddenly, a wide grin split his face and he said, “Being a father has made me down-right panicky! What am I to do? Everything will be over soon.”

  
With a wink he assured his lovely wife, “I just want to have this peace of mind. Knowing that my family will be far from the carnage will allow me to focus on my duty to the King.”

  
Marie returned the sweet smile and raised up her son for the father to kiss. She said softly, “I understand. As it is your duty to protect the King, it is mine to protect our son. Our Link.”

  
After gently pressing his lips to his son’s forehead, the father stood straighter and looked her in the eye. Despite the waves of worry coursing through both adults they found strength, confidence, and comfort in the other, as only a spouse could give. The woman released an arm and laced her fingers though her husband’s strong and calloused hand.

  
“We’ll see each other soon,” she whispered. The fair lady continued perhaps a bit mischievously, “This will be Link’s first time seeing what’s outside the walls. His first adventure, you could say.”

  
She paused, a moment of seriousness overtaking them both. A resolute nod passed between them, and she whispered, “May the Goddesses watch over you and protect you, dear Kendrick.”

  
They gently wrapped their arms around each other, careful to not crowd little Link. He whispered back, “And may they guide you to safety, my sweet Marie.”

  
And with that, he was gone. The lack of his noble presence left the manor cold and foreboding under the shadow the coming storm. Mother Shannon was quick to fill the moment with her surety. It was a wonderful reprieve from the sense of helplessness that had overcome the young mother. “Quick, hand me the child. You should be properly dressed, for you have a long ride ahead of you.”

  
Marie nodded and handed off the baby, but then stepped back with a frown on her face, “You’re not coming, Lady Shannon?”

  
“I said quickly, woman!” The grandmother spoke, her sharpness masking her fear.

  
The Lady of the House beckoned the waiting servant to strip off her nursing dress and replace it with the proper attire. As this was happening the grandmother turned to place Link on a table, and with well-practiced movements she had him bundled against the chilly night air.

  
She explained to Lady Marie, “No. It will be too hard of a trip for an elderly woman like myself. In this situation speed is required. I would only serve to slow you and my grandson down. And besides,” she added with a faint grin as she turned back around to show the beautifully embroidered green cap that she had been working on now donned on the child’s head, “someone needs to be here to defend the manor!”

  
The servants, having masterfully replaced the dress with a dark green shirt, vest, and pants which were overlaid by a brown riding skirt, backed away from Lady Marie. She frowned as she tucked her hair back with a thin piece of leather. “Mother! You can’t possibly think to fight off a pack of rebels, do you?”

  
In response the old woman returned the child to his mother’s waiting arms and gave a wink, “You forget my dear, my husband was a fine commander. And I have raised even better soldiers. I have learned a thing or two in keeping beasts at bay. Fear not. This manor will still be standing when you return, and your husband will be waiting to welcome you two home.”

  
A moment of strength and love passed between the two, their long years of knowing each other a great comfort. With light kisses on the cheek, Lady Marie passed by Lady Shannon. Her soft footsteps from the leather riding boots were confident but hurried. The sun had already set, and if Kendrick was correct, the attack would happen soon.

  
She exited outside to the waiting stablemaster. Two horses were pawing the ground and one was already mounted. A young stable boy, armed with a recurve bow, was prepared to escort his mistress to Baron Ordon’s estate. She handed her son to the stable boy and allowed the stablemaster to help her onto the horse.

  
The middle-aged man bowed gallantly, and spoke lowly, “Farore’s Wind be with you, my Lady Zielnski. Son, do your duty to our Lord and protect her Ladyship. And may you all return here in peace.”  
She nodded and stretched out her arms to take her baby, “And may Din’s Power rest upon this household. Lady Shannon is waiting inside the manor. It would do well for all the servants to gather and heed her words. She’s a wise woman who already has a plan to defend the manor. If all goes well, we should be back in three days.”

  
The stablemaster bowed again, and the two set off at a quick trot past the gates and into the narrow streets of Castletown. They weaved their way through the lanes, quickly moving from the higher ring to the poorer parts.

  
The eastern side of Castletown was a residential district, as the southern and western sides were open to the market, and the northern side contained many noble manors, as well as government buildings and soldiers’ quarters. The castle was supposed to be in the center but ever since the recent civil war the majority of Castletown was located in the eastern half, with an increase of peasants and refugees seeking the safety that came with the expanded wall project.

  
Hyrule’s civil war had officially ended several years ago, but rebel groups and lone-wolf insurgents were tenaciously picking fights with the Royal family. This tension continued to disrupt daily life. Lady Marie mused sardonically as she thought of the situation. She knew full well how difficult it was to quell growing grudges, considering her own family’s quarreling. She pitied the Royal family, who would have yet another mess to clean up tonight.

  
Lady Marie Zielnski frowned as she noticed an increase in people walking the streets. Word must have spread of the coming attack and though most everyone was quiet, so as not to draw attention to themselves, the very air was charged with fear.

  
There was little comfort in the fact that with this many fleeing travelers the bridge gate must have been let down. The wife was too afraid of what could happen to her husband. Although her heart swelled with pride for his accomplishments, each achievement involved a new level of risk. The man held an impeccable skill with a blade, but the attacks since last winter had only become more aggressive, creative, and cruel in their design.

  
As each rebel was cut down, the remaining insurgents were only bolstered by their dwindling numbers and fervently clung to their self-righteous belief. This volatile situation was constantly swept under the rug by the many insistent preachers who, under orders of the nobility, were claiming ‘all is well’. The idea was to encourage folks to come out of their homes and enjoy the life that that the Three Golden Goddesses had granted them, as well as jumpstart the struggling economy. The hopeful followed their advice but the wise also kept a prepared bag near their front door for a quick get-away for a time such as this.

  
Marie’s tightened grip on the reigns loosened a little as the gate and bridge came into sight. As thought, the drawbridge was lowered, though there were only six guards she could see positioned here. The rest were probably gathered around the castle and scattered throughout the northern district, she thought.

  
Regardless her and her child would be out of this city and away from the trouble. No sooner had her anxiety eased when she could hear the faint calls and shouts far behind her. She turned to look back just as an explosion rocked the stone beneath her horse, even at this distance.

  
Her wide eyes betrayed her fear. Her soft voice remained steady as she sent a prayer to the Goddesses to protect her husband and the King. The Lady turned to the stable boy, shifting her baby to another arm as she did so, and said, “Quickly now! The panic will only spread and slow us down.”

  
The stable hand glanced at her and swallowed. The young man had been a faithful caretaker of their animals, but he was largely unused to the role of defender, having been too young to have been drafted for the war. He faced forward and dutifully scouted the quickest route to the gate, staying close to his Lady’s side.

  
They squeezed under the gate with a few panicked peasants on either side. As soon as they were free of harming any innocent citizens, they broke into a canter. No sooner had they left the crowds when several loud and terrified screams were heard behind them. Lady Marie slowed her horse down and quickly looked back with her heart in her throat. She saw several women were pointing to the north. Her breath caught as a large group of armed men came charging toward those who were just exiting the false safety of the castle walls.

  
“My Lady, please! We must run!” The young man shouted at her and grabbed her horse.

  
She lurched forward in the saddle, having relinquished the reigns. Using both arms to cling her beautiful boy into her chest, she leaned back and swung her leg over. She was eternally grateful to the stablemaster and his generosity towards her unladylike mannerisms. He had the foresight to saddle the horse with her specially designed one, in which she could switch from proper lady to adventurous free spirit with a high kick of her leg.

  
Now better balanced, she drove her boot into the horse’s side, though not too harshly. In response, her swift steed began outpacing her stable hand’s horse. Realizing this, the young man surrendered the reigns and Marie allowed her graceful hand to catch it, along with a fistful of the horse’s dark mane.

  
All this served to jostle the baby, who made his discomfort clear with a piercing shriek. If the horses’ panicked gallop weren’t enough to give away their weakness, the child’s cry certainly was.  
A group of three mounted insurgents broke off from terrorizing the peasants and chased after the noble. They didn’t know who they were chasing, and they didn’t care. All they knew was that only nobles had horses as nice as those within the city walls. And these two horses were carrying extra baggage. With a whoop, they alerted the riders of their approach.

  
Lady Marie, often a woman who was hailed as cool-headed in situations even many hardened soldiers would find frightening, started panicking. The reason was due to what was crying beneath her. Her life had changed drastically ever since giving birth to her son in the middle of spring. She was no longer the adventurous woman willing to ride Hyrule field at night, despite the danger Stalfos still posed. She was now a mother, charged with the loving decree from Hylia to look after her little one, to protect and raise him until he could defend himself. So, with determination rising within her, she called upon the Wind of Farore to lift and guide the horses’ steps.

  
“My lady!”

  
Lady Marie turned to her companion. He had pulled out his bow, and with expert years of practice, let go of his horse’s reigns. Trusting the horse to stay close to hers the young man barely passed boy-hood reached for an arrow.

  
“Please, continue East!” He pleaded over the biting wind. “We cannot turn South yet, or else we will end up in the middle of Hyrule Field. But these savages following us are bound to cut us off if we continue moving in this direction. I-” He faltered for a moment. Fear darken his face until he blinked it away. Finding new resolve he rattled on, “I may be able to prevent them from following you. I will need to stop, because my archery skills are lacking. And for that, I am truly sorry. But I beg of you, please, keep yourself and the young lord safe! I look forward to the time that I can see you both.”  
With that said, he gave his lady a sad smile. Before she could respond, he had slowed his horse down enough to reach over and slap her horse’s rump. With the extra encouragement, the dark mare let out a whinny and sprang forward.

  
As a farewell blessing she shouted over her shoulder, “Courage be with you!”

  
Tears glistened in the young man's eyes as he turned his horse about. His steed responded sluggishly, not wishing to depart from his friend, but their years spent working together overcame its hesitation. The boy nervously patted his companion. Through all their days they had never faced a danger such as this. Perhaps thrown off by his fear, the first arrow to fly from his bow fell short.  
He swallowed and notched another arrow, this time making sure to breath properly. The riders, already aware of the young man’s actions, aggressively took action of their own. One pulled out his own bow and arrow, a second readied a lance, and a third began swinging his arm overhead, a deadly saber in hand.

  
The stable hand barely had enough time to release his second arrow when a return arrow pierced his arm. It was his left arm, which held the wooden bow. With a hiss, he tried not to look at the wound, though it was possibly more painful than having his toes crushed under a hoof. As long as he kept steady, he estimated he could fire again before the group was upon him. Fumbling for another arrow he felt another pierce his shoulder. This pain was terrible. The one arrow he managed to grab fell from his hand.

  
Scared and knowing he was outmatched the young man turned his horse about knowing full-well that it would take a miracle to outrun the deadly rebels. The evil men’s cackling filled his ears as they gained upon him. All too soon he felt an arrow rip into his back muscle with a cry of pain leaving his lips.

  
Angry and terrified, he groped with his good hand for the short sword that rested before his right knee. He glanced back to see how close they were. Nudging the horse to the left he barely avoided the deadly lance. And with a tap of his toes his horse suddenly halted while his opponent thundered past. The young man ripped the sword from the sheath and held it steady as he used the rebel’s own momentum to slice it across the outstretched arm.

  
Caught off guard, the ugly man dropped his lance and swore. His companions had slowed down and, surprisingly, began laughing at his injury. Enraged, the lancer pulled out a short sword of his own and swung wildly. It was no use though, as the well-trained horse elegantly side-stepped out of reach. A moment of pride overcame the young stable hand. He spent months training with this horse to perfect its maneuverability. He couldn’t wait to return to the stablemaster to report the horse’s performance tonight.

  
That dream was cut short, due to a saber cleanly punched through the young man’s chest. Another rider had charged him while he was busy dodging the lancer’s failed attack. The boy could only utter a soft pray to the Golden Goddesses, and with many tears rolling down his face, he wept, “I’m sorry, my lady. Courage was not enough.”


	2. A Gerudo’s Failure

**Time’s Saga**

**First Life: Prince of Power**

_“So children, remember. We are Gerudo. We are a family. We must strive to do our best to help our sisters live the best possible life. That is the lesson you should take from this tale. So sleep well, my desert dewdrops.”_

**Chapter 2: A Gerudo’s Failure**

Dainty slippered feet quietly traversed the paving stones. They were always careful to avoid the small puddles of standing water and the ugly clods and smears of mud that were a permanent fixture of Castletown. The young woman that walked, though veiled so her scowl couldn’t be seen, was given a wide berth by others who passed her. She arrived at a rather run-down inn but hesitated at the door. She knew the place was dank and had little light, so she was unwilling to go in just yet.

The sun was kinder here at the capital. She welcomed its warmth and comfort. Perhaps it was the only thing that reminded her of home in this foreign land. She didn’t mind skipping the summer’s blistering heat, but she felt that she could have been a lot more useful back home. Instead she wasted her time, talents, and worse, the tribe’s precious rupees in this hovel.

Allowing herself to enjoy the sun a little longer she leaned against the wall of the inn with her eyes closed. She took off her veil and dropped her hand. A slow breath escaped her as she allowed the tension to release from her taunt muscles.

She had been dancing for several hours now and hated every minute of it. The dance wasn’t the problem. She rather enjoyed the light stepping of her feet, the elegant kicks that could translate into deadly strikes, or the waving of her arms that showed-off her strength. No. It certainly wasn’t the beauty of the dance that she hated. How could she hate something that was so easily tied to a favorite pass-time? No. What she hated was the _reason_ for the dance. And how ignorant of the traditions of the dance the men were who stopped to watch her. …And they were the ones she was supposedly trying to entice into spending a night or two with.

She wasn’t a whore, despite what many Hylians thought of her tribe. It was simply a necessity. Hylian men were too weak to live in the harsh desert climate she called home. But the Gerudo’s unique traits only produced females, so it was little wonder they had to come to larger cities to perpetuate their tribe. The men here were more willing to loosen their so-called morals and sneak off without their wives to be surrounded by friends, beautiful women, and a drink or two.

The summer season was nearly over, which meant that she would be heading home soon with her sisters. As fate would have it, she would be the only one barren. A disgrace. Though just over sixteen, the youngest member in this particular troupe of eight, she was old enough to bare a child.

The young woman huffed again. She didn’t feel capable of bearing a daughter. She knew she was too wild and wouldn’t stand the long months of bed sickness that sometimes overcame mothers. And bearing a child wouldn’t excuse her from the lard labor that was required of every member of the tribe.

She wasn’t sure if it was her imagination but the time after the war seemed much more difficult then actual warfare. No one side clearly won, though there were significant advantages a few held. The Hyrulian King managed to wrangle his nobles under his control and backed out of the fight. This caused the other races to follow suit. So far, a tentative peace had been kept, with some rebel groups still causing trouble. Last winter there was a short-lived siege on Castletown. Since then, the rebels had been using guerilla tactics and hiding amongst the peasants and merchants that passed through Castletown’s gates.

None of them dared to enter with the Gerudo though. The warrior-women were too keen and would be quick to hand them over to the local authorities, as a measure of good-will. Lately, by orders of the Council, the Gerudo were attempting to repair relations with Hyrulians. Many nobles were skeptical of the desert people while the peasants were fearful of them. The only group of humans in Hyrule that seemed to accept them were the merchants, who were greedy and tried to under-trade them. Often times, the Gerudo allowed them to as part of their strategies. They kept watch where the oily swindlers stored their possessions then stole the fair price back, and more for compensation, in either rupees, trinkets, or whatever was of worth that they could carry. Of course, this upset quite a few people, but such was the Gerudo way. Their lives depended on what they managed to obtain from the green fields of Hyrule. Since they couldn’t settle onto the claimed lands and their goods were disrespectfully traded, taking from the prosperous was the next best solution. And it would continue to be that way, unless views changed and the Gerudo were respected as equals complete with fair trade rights. And that was part of the young woman’s challenge in enticing a man. She was nothing more than a thieving whore to them. Only to be used and cast aside, as she was worth less than the poorest beggar in Castletown.

With lips puckered and deep red hair bouncing, she pushed off the wall and turned back to the entrance. With a muttered prayer asking for help in facing her sisters, the young woman pushed through the door.

As expected it was dank and dark. She paused a moment at the top of the stairs to allow her eyes to adjust, then quickly stepped down them two at a time. If she could only make it to her room maybe she wouldn’t have to talk with her sisters at all. Her continued failures would be the high topic of discussion. Just as she was passing the stage where a Zora band held a performance every week someone called out to her in Gerudo.

“Oy, Nabooru! You’re back!” And with that a hard body crashed into her. Amazingly, the careening woman managed to not spill a single drop of her drink.

Nabooru scowled more. She hunched her shoulders and tried snaking out from under the arms of her sister. “Would ya get off me? I’d like to get to my room.”

“Oh, and what business would you have doing in there, _Boo-bu_? I don’t see a Hylian man following you.”

Nabooru turned around and rose up the extra three inches she needed to get into the other’s face and snarled, “I don’t have one! All the men here are pathetic. They can’t see a beautiful woman if she danced right in front of them. Which I’ve been doing for the past two months!”

The other woman took a step back and looked pensivly at her. She remarked, “Well, with a scowl like that it’s no wonder you’re having trouble picking up a _voe_.” This final piece was spoken in Common Hylian and just loud enough for a few other patrons at the bar to chuckle at.

Humiliated and infuriated Nabooru reached for the drink held in the woman’s hand, hoping to spill it on her. Sensing her intentions, her sister raised the cup high above her head and taunted, “Nabooru, _Boo-bu_ , what will you do~?”

Before she could decide Nabooru’s arms were caught in a third woman’s strong grip. “Tahnra. Nabooru. Enough!” As an added measure the woman deftly stepped on the first woman’s foot, her heeled shoe an immediate source of agony.

“Ahk! OK! OK! Sorry, Ruvano. I was just teasing Nabooru some, so could you please get off my foot!?” Tahnra squealed. Hearing it made Nabooru feel slightly better.

Ruvano glanced behind her and lightly lifted her foot. Tahnra quickly scrambled back and, with a slight limp, she headed back toward the bar. The leader of their troupe, Ruvano, turned back to Nabooru who she still held in a firm grip. Her younger sister refused to lift her head. Sighing, the mature woman released a hand. In reaction Nabooru pulled back and tried to wiggle away. Ruvano would have none of it, so she caught Nabooru’s jaw in her hand.

“Nabooru.”

She didn’t need to say it very loud, but the command was there. Nabooru let out a huff and stopped struggling. Ruvano was a strong woman and her captain. If there was something Nabooru would never do, it would be to rebel against her powerful leaders.

Recognizing her unusual attitude, as Nabooru was usually an upbeat girl, Ruvano lead her to a dark corner of the bar. It was far from any curious ears. Once settled at the table, Ruvano leaned back, her smoky eyes never leaving Nabooru’s downcast look. They sat there in silence.

Nabooru fidgeted. Unable to continue with the silent treatment she whispered in her native tongue, “I… I just don’t know what I’m doing here, Ruvano. I’ve tried everything the other girls have done to entice a Hylian man. We’ll be leaving soon and I’ll have failed. I’ll have failed our sisters and our King! I should have stayed back home. I would have been much more useful hunting leevers or chasing out bandits. Instead I had to waste our tribe’s precious money staying in this disgusting city for weeks.”

With that, Nabooru seemed to curl in on herself. Her pride refused tears to be shed in her self-pity, but she didn’t see how to face her other sisters once home. A shuddering sigh escaped her, which gave Ruvano everything she needed to know.

Reaching over, Ruvano placed a soft hand atop Nabooru’s red hair and gently brushed a few loose strands. A low chuckle escaped her, and she said softly, “Oh little Nabooru. Always trying to excel at everything. And for once you hit a wall. I suppose that hasn’t happened to you in… well, ever. You’re too talented in fighting, hunting, horseback riding, and thieving. You even posses a well of magic many sisters are highly envious of. No doubt you would have been useful at the fortress but you know why you were sent here. Our population is in danger. And King Ganondorf wants the best of our tribe to reproduce. And you are, by far, considered the best. The strong come from strong. That has always been our way. Don’t let the stupid Hylian men’s refusal make you think less of yourself. You are Gerudo. And you are still young. This was your first time attempting this sort of thing. You’ve yet to understand how to crack the so-called morals of men. Though you may not carry a child yet, you will. And you will do the Tribe proud for your contribution. No, that’s not right. The Tribe is _always_ proud of you. All I ask is that you learn from this and come better prepared for next year.”

Nabooru sniffed. She didn’t want to come back to the city. It was filthy. The people, if they didn’t hate her, avoided her like the plague. It was too crowded. She felt so far from home. If she could, she would only come back to steal some pompous noble’s treasure, not to entice him into her bed.

“And well, Nabooru, not all it lost. You’ve picked some fine treasures to take home with us. They’ll surely profit us in the future.” Ruvano let out a bark of laughter.

Nabooru finally raised her head and gave a small, proud smile. It was true. She certainly did find a few wonderful treasures. And best part of it was the owners either didn’t realize it was taken, or they knew it wasn’t theirs to begin with so no fuss had been made. It made the theft that much more satisfying, knowing she had gotten away without any sort of repercussions.

Ruvano continued quietly, “We’ll only be here a few more days. Let’s see if you can pick out more treasures before we leave.”

Happier, Nabooru sat up straight. She liked this idea. Stealing was a favorite pastime. She loved how it was like shopping but without having to pay the precious rupees. Her mind started dancing with all the potential targets she had seen that day. She hadn’t attempted anything during her dancing because she was focused on capturing a man. But with night quickly approaching she could easily slip into the shadows and fill yet another bag with tradeable goods.

“Well then, with your attitude greatly improved I expect to see some good results tomorrow morning. We’ll talk later, Nabooru.” Both rose from the table. Nabooru placed a flat hand over her heart in a gesture of gratitude.

“Thank you, Ruvano, for listening to me. I’ll set out at once to see what I can find.” Nabooru’s amber eyes sparkled with the coming challenge. Ruvano nodded and waved her away. She was already moving back to the bar-counter on the other side.

Nabooru walked to her room, which was located in the hall behind the bar. This particular inn-and-bar was a favorite of the Gerudo. The owner always turned a blind eye to what ever overfilled bags entered the premises, if he received a small portion in return. Even better were the two secret passages that made for quick escapes incase guards ever suspected the oh-so-innocent exotic dancers of doing exactly what Nabooru was preparing for.

Her purple outfit would be fine for the shadows, but to ensure that her figure and bright red hair weren’t noticed, she donned a dark brown hooded cloak as well. Placing a small knife and her lock picking kit on her hips she then snatched an empty bag from under her bed. She only had one left, as she had been busy over the past several weeks.

Ready, she slipped out the door of the inn and noticed that the sun was slipping down. She quietly moved through the streets. As there were still plenty of people out she couldn’t try sneaking past them yet. That would only make her more obvious. So, she just acted like she was in a hurry to the market. perhaps to buy to last minute food for an evening meal. Having reached the edge of the market she quickly scouted the area. She noted the fat merchants closing up the shops she had already pilfered from and wondered if they had anything new.

She continued doing this for ten minutes or more, wandering from the south side to the west. Nabooru hadn’t found anything that would turn a good profit but she kept a vigilant eye out. She was a little disgruntled when she realized that the crowds were, in fact, not dispersing. The seasoned thief scanned the crowded alleys looking for full purses to snatch. What surprised her was not the lack of purses, but the assortment of weapons that the men poorly concealed, at least in her mind. And she realized that the crowd consisted of only men. Dirty men, unkept and unshaven. Their nervous hands were constantly stroking their knives or even patting the hilts of covered swords and axes. The one that blended in the best was an older gentleman who was weighed down with a heavy bag. With all the others around, Nabooru could only suspect that he carried some rare Goron bomb flowers. If it weren’t for the gathering of suspect insurgents and the high tension in the air, Nabooru would have been highly tempted to knock the man over and take the bag. It would have been a very useful item to take back home. But she knew trouble when she saw it. With dusk rapidly approaching and the crowd slowly getting larger, she melted into the shadows and slunk back to the inn.

Something big was going to go down. No Gerudo cared for the pathetic Hylian Knights or the radical insurgents they fought against. It was best to leave it alone. To recover her losses, Nabooru picked up a variety of fruit that had been carelessly left out by a shopkeeper. He was probably scared away with the coming fight. She now knew for sure something was wrong. The travelers on the road were all anxious, tightly holding on to their belongings. Some even made sure to show the last of the glowing sun on small daggers in a sad effort to ward off trouble. Others hurried into their homes. They slammed their doors, blew out candles, and hushed their children. It all produced an eerie sense of foreboding.

By now, Nabooru was in a full run. She had to get out of here. Her and her sisters had to leave Castletown. It was likely the others were all pregnant, and to get caught up in a political upheaval would endanger their unborn children. The tentative relations their King had been working so hard to improve was also at risk. Their presence in Castletown during an attack could lead some stupid nobles to believe that the Gerudo were working with the rebels. It was best to leave as soon as possible.

Nabooru slammed open the door, the last glimmer of the sun shinning behind her. “Ruvano! Trouble!” The bar had filled, so many more eyes looked curiously at her.

Ruvano, who was sitting next to two unsavory looking men, stood up and nodded toward the back. She caught the look of her other sisters at the bar and they also stood up. In another minute, everyone was gathered outside Nabooru’s door.

“Don’t tell me you got caught stealing a few apples, Boo-bu,” Tahnra jeered. Nabooru refused to answer and instead threw a heavy bag that she had just pulled from under her bed at her taunter.

“I went to the Western district. I saw a large group of armed men loitering about. They were all nervous. One even had a bag full of bomb flowers. Everyone else is either hiding in their homes or leaving.” Nabooru spoke in rapid-fire, as she struggled to pull out a particularly bulky bag from its hiding place.

Ruvano stepped forward and helped pull. “Rebels. Trying to make a last stand before they’re wiped out.” Having pulled out the bag, she turned to the doorway, where her sisters were waiting for a command. “We should leave. Everyone, gather your things. We’ll meet at the crooked oak tree, just outside the southern entrance. But make sure to leave concealed and individually through either the eastern or southern entrance. The guards are probably spooked and the last thing we need is trouble. It’s not ideal, but we can walk through Hyrule Field until we reach the plateau. From there we can pick up our horses at Lon-lon Ranch and head home. Go.”

Everyone dispersed. Ruvano reached into the bag and pulled out a small but gold inlaid jar. She dropped a few pilfered rupees in and was about to walk away. She turned and almost as an after-thought said, “You did well to tell us this, Nabooru. I’m going to give my regards to the innkeeper. You’ll be on your own. May Din protect you. Leave now and go through the eastern side. We’ll meet again shortly.”

Nabooru nodded. She quickly tied two large bags together and with the extra rope looped it around her shoulders for easy carrying. She strapped her dual scimitars to her hip, dearly missing her glaive, then walked out of the room. She found one of the back entrances and climbed up the ladder which led to one of the back alleys in the residential district. Reminding herself to be silent, she moved in with the other quiet travelers.

She passed by two mournful children and their mother. The little girl was clutching a ragged cloth doll and whimpered, “But mom, why do we have to leave now? It’s almost bedtime.” This was punctuated with a loud yawn.

“Hush, child. We don’t want to draw attention to ourselves,” the mother chided. She ushered the children along but struggled with a laden pack which was no doubt supplies for her little family.

A large boom filled the air and the mother was knocked to the ground. Shrieks and shouts filled the air and people began stampeding. Several shoved passed Nabooru. Unhappy with the whole situation, she lashed out with her fist. This cleared a path for her and the stolen goods. Their weight didn’t bother her. It was their size that made pushing through the crowd difficult.

“Mommy!” A high-pitched shriek was heard over the din. Instinctively, Nabooru turned to find the source. It was the little girl. She had been pushed down and fat merchants and scared shopkeepers were knocking her every which way. Angered, Nabooru headed back, giving smacks to the head and punches to the gut to those who dared to disrespect a woman; even if she was only around six years old.

Once she reached the little girl, Nabooru picked her up and held her close to her chest. She then faced the gate again and started sprinting through the crowd. With her strength, she barreled through the panicked citizens, too much in a hurry to notice the chaos she was leaving in her wake.

She had just crossed the wooden bridge and turned south. She quickly scanned to look at the crowd that had gathered. Husbands were looking for wives, mothers for lost children. Even a fat merchant was looking around and was disappointed to find his sackcloth of rupees was missing.

Nabooru heard a light laugh just before her and someone quietly called, “Nabooru the Noble! Who would have guessed that you would rescue a Hylian child tonight?”

Nabooru scowled. There was only one person who would mock her in a situation like this. “And I see, Tahnra, that you were out of the city faster than me. You must have feared for your life.”

Tahnra frowned and rolled her eyes. “There’s no point in staying here. At least I managed to pick up a few souvenirs on the way out.” She then grinned and showed Nabooru the well-made sackcloth the merchant was looking for. Nabooru couldn’t help but grin as well when she sat the child on the ground.

The two women towered over the little girl, who had tears streaming down her face. The Gerudo had to give her credit. The girl didn’t make much sound, despite a cut lip and a multitude of bruises.

“Well, what are you going to do with her? It’s not like she can come with us.” Tahnra stated.

This time it was Nabooru who frowned and rolled her eyes. “Yeah, and that’s why I’m going to put her next to that family over there.” She pointed at a tall thin man not too far away, who had his arms around his wife, and she was holding on to two little brown-headed boys. Just as Nabooru grabbed the little girl’s hand again, another shout followed by several shrieks of terror pierced the air.

“Oh, what is it now?” Tahnra complained, as she tied the fine silk bag to her waist and pulled out her dagger. Then they heard it. The sound of thunderous hooves and the whooping cries of the rebels.

Nabooru cursed under her breath and picked up the little girl again. But instead of carrying her like before, Nabooru gently threw her toward the family. Unable to see what happened and unable to care for the girl anymore, Nabooru turned before the threat to asses her next move.

There was a cavalry of a dozen mounted individuals, with about two dozen more on foot. Nabooru was a skilled fighter, but she knew when to retreat. As one, both she and Tahnra ran, with most of the fleeing citizens. Tired of being stuck in the middle of a crowd, she moved toward the edge, where she knew she would be better able to fight if the occasion arose. Tahnra moved with her. Both Gerudo carried large bags, larger than perhaps some of the stumbling merchants, but this didn’t phase either in the slightest. Their well-toned legs pushed them to the front.

As fast the Gerudo were, though, they could never outrun a horse. Two mounts curved along the edge and positioned themselves toward the front. This caused even greater panic amongst the peasants. People were now running back the way they had come, crashing into others, and making a general mess of things. The rebels just laughed and swung their lances, swords, battle axes and whatever weapons they had.

Unphased by the poor display of power, Tahnra and Nabooru shared a glance. Nabooru nodded toward the front cavalry man, who wielded a lance. He had good reach with the weapon, but she noticed he lacked a sword and the ability to properly control the animal. Nabooru took the lead and with a fierce battle cry charged at the horse. Alerted with her shout, the man swung his lance toward her and gave a harsh kick into the horse’s side. Just as he had finished the turn, he suddenly slumped over. Tahnra had been waiting and threw her dagger when the man showed his exposed neck.

With the horse charging toward her, Nabooru calmly sidestepped and grabbed hold of the reigns. She had to dance out of the range of the horse’s kicks, but she eventually got the dead man off the back. She passed Tahnra back her bloodied dagger, who had quickly jumped in the saddle, and handed her the extra bags. By now, other rebels had seen what had happened and were coming towards them. Whether it was to take the Gerudo’s ill-gotten loot, or in revenge for their dead comrade, no one knew. And the women-warriors weren’t sticking around to find out.

The already skittish horse bolted at the rebel cries, and Nabooru just barely managed to cling on to the edge of the saddle. She clenched her teeth. She was very afraid of a sharp hoof catching her leg or stomach. Tahnra grabbed her arm and helped pull her up and Nabooru was very grateful when she was on the horse’s back. She looked behind her to realize that five more riders were chasing them. She swore again when she realized their horse was too slow. It was bogged down with two riders and extra baggage.

“Tahnra! Go east!”

Tahnra gave her a crazy look and shouted back, “Why, in the name of Hylia, would we go east!?”

Calmly Nabooru explained, “We can’t outrun the riders. We’re too heavy right now. So drop me off near the woods with the bags and then you head off to meet Ruvano. I’ll wait until their gone, then see you at Lon-lon Ranch.”

“You’re crazy Nabooru! If you go too far into the forest you’ll turn into a stalfos, right? Or maybe in your case, a skull kid.” Tahnra grinned and turned the horse left, toward what was commonly referred to as _The Lost Woods_.

Scowling, Nabooru explained further, “You’re only lost if you lose sight of the field. I’ll make sure I can keep my eyes on you and the runaway horse.”

Tahnra snorted in laughter but agreed. The other riders were closing in on them. Nabooru was very grateful when she realized none of them had a bow, so they would only be able to injure them if they got within range of their melee weapons. When they were three furlongs from forest, Nabooru grabbed all the bags, and with a short, “Later”, spring boarded off the back of the horse. She smoothly rolled onto both feet and sprinted toward the woods.

As expected, the skittish horse took off like an arrow with the weight gone. The riders, realizing one member was no longer riding, slowed their horses to the edge of the woods. It seemed they were no longer interested in Tahnra.

“Great for you Tahnra. Now what am I going to do?” Nabooru muttered as she had to keep inching back into the foliage. She dropped the bags behind some densely packed bushes and made sure her cloak was still covering her.

She could hear the bickering of the men. Apparently, some were too scared to enter the forest, which was well and good for her. Still though, three others got off their mounts and slowly approached the woods.

“Don’t loose sight of the others, ya ‘ear! These’ere woods ‘re dangerous.” One man spoke in the slight burr that was common in the northern region. The other two men muttered in consent, and slowly picked their way through the tangled roots.

Nabooru narrowed her eyes when she realized one was walking a little too close. As she was debating what to do one of the bags shifted under its own weight and a horrendous clattering sound could be heard across the wood. The closest man jumped in fright and he quickly spotted Nabooru’s rising figure. She pulled out her scimitar and charged the man. He barely managed to block the attack, but in her second swipe she caught him across the cheek. Enraged, he jabbed at her, which she deftly dodged. The two others had heard the commotion and ran to aid their friend. One came dangerously close to loping off her arm with his axe. Nabooru swiftly sunk one blade into the axe man’s neck. But this left her open. The third man attacked her with a yell and thrust his spear. The tip was neatly aimed at her heart, but before it could pierce her, it splintered.

“Too bad you’re so slow. That may have actually hurt,” Nabooru taunted. She couldn’t help it. She was finally in her element after weeks of suffering in the city.

The swordsman attacked again, opting for a horizontal slash this time. Nabooru moved her lithe body backwards then sidestepped for a better angle in which to slice open his leg. He screamed as the blood came gushing out in rivers. With her blade tainted she turned back to the spearman. Terrified and hearing his comrade’s screams, the man turned tail and ran. Nabooru was about to give chase, when she realized a horrible truth.

She could no longer see Hyrule Field through the trees.

 


	3. The Child

**Time's Saga**

**First Life: Prince of Power**

_"Have I ever told you about the immortal children, the Kokiri? Oh, you heard it from Nabooru? Yes, she says they're real. No, I don't know how they live so long, but suspect it has to do with the magic of the forest. I've heard that if a Kokiri leaves the Lost Woods they die. But if anyone else enters those cursed woods,_ they _are certain to die. Yes, you're right. Nabooru is the exception."_

**Chapter 3: The Child**

"Oh, Din," Nabooru swore.

She turned in a full circle, carefully searching for anything that could be an open expanse of trees. She saw nothing. Nothing but mist, and trees, and bushes, and  _forest_. The only thing that kept her grounded was the man screaming at her feet.

She knelt and brandished her sword near his neck. The man started blubbering but she cut him off. "Look, you're going to die either way. Either I cut your neck now with a prayer to the Golden Goddesses which  _might_  spare you the fate as a stalfos, or I leave you here to turn into one and have you wander the rest of eternity in this forsaken wood!"

The man was completely broken now. He choked and screamed and cried out, both cursing and blessing the Goddesses. Nabooru stared at him for a minute then slowly got up and walked toward the bags she could still see. She picked them up and was about to set off.

"Wait!" The man cried out, "P-Please. I don't- I don't wan t'be a-a-a-a stalfos. If you-you would, please, grant me a p-prayer and a-a-a qu-qu-quick a quick e-e-end."

Sighing, Nabooru turned back around. "Very well."

She knelt beside him again with the bags next to her and was just drawing on her magic power when suddenly a pale light glinted off the man's sword. "Die, you swine!" He roared.

She barely had time to dodge the blow. Still a thin line cut across her chest. In a reactionary movement she brought her sword down and cleanly split his neck. Quickly realizing her mistake she slowly stood up, revolted. The man was dead and undoubtedly would be cursed by the power of the woods.

After cleaning her sword on the man's shirt, Nabooru then placed it in the scabbard at her hip. Then she took off the man's scabbard and slide his sword inside it. She placed that into one of the bags next to her then went searching the body for anything else of value. The only other items were a small knife, leather arm bracers, and a potion bottle, which she didn't dare drink until she could verify what it was. She scoffed. This man wasn't worth much of anything.

Satisfied with the search, Nabooru turned her back on the man and peered into the trees. They were dark and foreboding. The mist curled around her and sent a slight shiver through her. She knew for certain; this forest had a strange, unyielding power.

She huffed. She was Nabooru. A daughter of the Gerudo Tribe. Blessed by the Desert Goddess, her tribe could thrive in the harsh conditions that would weaken any other people. And she, a young warrior who was already recognized for her fighting prowess, magical power, and even her humor,  _she_  could defy the forest's demands.

So Nabooru set off. She had no idea where she was going. She was truly and utterly lost. But she repeated the mantra she had learned long ago:  _I am a child of the desert. I know from which way the wind blows, that it will lead me home._  Over and over again she repeated this. She tripped over vines that were placed in her way. Thorny tendrils threatened to choke her as she pushed them away from her face.

She wandered. Her body asked for rest but she refused. To lay down now was to die. She would never wake up, at least not as herself. She had sisters waiting for her. Her people depended on her.

_I am a child of the desert. I know from which way the wind blows, that it will lead me home_.

Her feet stumbled. She was tired. The bags of loot weighed her down, but she refused to let them go. She knew full well that these treasures that could mean the difference between a hearty year or a starving one.

_I am a child of the desert. I know from which way the wind blows, that it will lead me home_.

Lost. She was lost in the Lost Woods. What could she do? There wasn't light to guide her path, and she had no torches with her. She was thirsty. The last time she had a drink was when her dance ended and before she returned to the inn. How long ago was that? Hours? Perhaps days? It was difficult to tell. The spooky silence of the forest made her lonely journey that much more painful.

In the safety of the darkness a tear slipped down her cheek. She was Gerudo. But sometimes even Gerudo cried. She had failed. So utterly failed in both her duty to her tribe and in her ability to escape this cursed forest! She was trapped in the city for weeks. And now she was trapped by some ancient curse.

She could feel her magic bubbling up within her. Her emotions, usually so carefree and sensible, were rubbed raw and wounded. One after another the tears kept flowing and she let out a shuddering cry. But she kept moving. Though feeling like a failure, she hadn't lost all hope. She remembered her troupe leader's words, " _And you are, by far, considered the best_...  _The tribe is_ always _proud of you..._   _All I ask is that you learn from this..._ "

"I am... the best," she muttered weakly. She fought within her own mind. Guilt. Pity. Pain. Suffering. Sorrow. Anger. Fear. Disappointment. Frustration. They swirled around her in the mists. Taunting her in Tahnra's voice. The tall-heeled figure of Ruvano was walking away in disgust. The crackle of magic that is unique to her great king in a display of anger and pain. Evil laughter. The wounded cries of fellow sisters falling in battle or whimpering from starvation.

Nabooru struggled against it all. The hurt was agonizing. Her tears flowed in streams. Her breath became ragged. Her footfalls were quicker, though she didn't notice. She wanted to get away. To run and hide. But how could one outrun their own mind?

Regardless of all the pain in her young life Nabooru had something that no other lost traveler in the woods had before: unwavering optimism. Despite having entered the adult years and witnessing many atrocious acts, the full-fledged warrior still managed to hold on to that jubilation of childhood. The freedom and happiness that was her solace in her most difficult times now became her path through the tangled roots. Her hope kept springing forth when negativity crushed her. Her spirit was resonating against the darkness in a beautiful act of defiance. She followed that sense, which was like a soothing green wind, instinctively. Her spirit flew, laughing joyously despite how worn and ragged her body was from the long trek.

_I am a child of the desert. I know from which way the wind blows, that it will lead me home_.

She stopped. And blinked. That foreboding sense of the Lost Woods was no longer surrounding her. Something had changed.

It was then Nabooru noticed the clearing she found herself in. In the center was an enormous tree. There were some moving figures at the base of it, almost like ants. And all around she saw little colored glowing  lights. The greatest gathering of fairies she had ever seen in her life was before her. Somewhat wary of her circumstances, but trusting that warm protective spirit she sensed, she carefully approached the group. She heard laughter and children's loud voices.

"We're going to have a new brother! Horray, horray!"

"What's his name?"

"No, I want to name him!"

"Why won't he stop crying? He's very loud."

"Why's he so little?"

"Where's his fairy?"

Nabooru tried to make sense of the scene before her. There were several children either dancing or crowding around a dark figure. And the fairies, with their soft glow, were darting in and around the group. Their babbling continued to get louder until a low and resonating voice quieted them.

"Hush, my children. Verily, the questions that ye ask shall be answered in time. But for now, there approacheth an unusual traveler."

Nabooru was startled. She didn't know who said that, or that anyone had noticed her arrival on the delusionary scene. She swallowed, her throat was very dry, but she fearlessly surveyed around her, looking for the voice that spoke.

"Welcome, Daughter of the Sands, to the protected grove," the voice was soft, almost cheerful. "Thou art in possession of a strong spirit to have made it through the Lost Woods. I pray thee, tell us what has brought ye here."

Now unnerved, she pushed her hood back and stared the children down, who had gathered between her and the tree. Most were looking at her with a mix of curiosity and excitement. There was one, a girl with bright green hair, who was in the far back. She didn't appear to have moved and she was definitely not excited.

Realizing that they were waiting for her to answer, Nabooru explained, "I was chased into the woods by some Hyrulian rebels. I need to return to my sisters, who-"

A baby's sharp cry interrupted her. Startled, Nabooru stepped back and all the children turned to the tree. The girl with the bright green hair knelt down and the shadowy figure moved. A cry of pain pierced the air, mixing with the cries of the baby.

Nabooru set down her bags and jogged towards the sound. She pushed passed the green-clothed children and finally saw a blond Hylian woman wrapped in a cloak. There was blood running down her chest and side and her green eyes were clouded in pain. She was tightly holding a wrapped bundle, but her hands were shaking in shock. The bundle squirmed, and more pitiful cries were heard from it.

Nabooru brushed a hand across the mother's forehead. The woman gasped from the touch and tried to focus her cloudy, bloodshot eyes on the source. "Hush, dear sister. I am Nabooru. What can I do to help?"

The mother moved her lips, but no words came out. Instead, that same deep voice uttered, "This woman cannot be helped for she hath been mortally wounded. Even the healing fairies exhausted their powers. But lo, her son still liveth. She did her duty, as directed by Hylia herself, to care for and protect her child."

Nabooru looked down in sorrow at the pitiful woman. No doubt she had fled Castletown in the attack only to end up like this. Nabooru rested a palm on her head and muttered a few short words to the Goddesses, her magic mixing with the syllables. She wished there was something more she could do.

The child cried again and Nabooru carefully took the babe into her arms. The mother, panicking, reached forward even though she was too weak to hold her child. Nabooru, now oblivious to the gathering of children and fairies, laid down next to the woman and placed the child back into her arms. She had no right to take the child from this poor woman. Not when she was in her final death throes. The Hylian struggled to hold her baby, her arms now shaking uncontrollably. Nabooru had to place both of her hands on the wounded woman's arms to steady the child. The Gerudo wasn't sure if the child was aware of the situation, or if it was simply exhausted, but in any case, it had quieted to a low gurgle.

"H-hi-h-hh-h-his"

Nabooru leaned close to the woman's mouth to hear the near silent words.

"n-n-name—name-is-is-is-is-is-si"

The woman had a coughing fit. Bright splatters of blood marred her beautiful face and covered the rest of her body that wasn't already blood soaked.

"Li-l-li-link. Link."

_Link? What will these Hylians think of next?_  Nabooru thought. Though she immediately chided herself. This was no time to question a dying woman's choice in names. Though as she was thinking on this, she missed the important information that the young mother weakly sputtered out. 

"The son of-f Lord K-ken-kendrick Ziel-Zielnski. My-my-my precious son. 'Til we meet again."

Nabooru moved her hand to close the eyes of the mother. She hated being near the dying and dead because she always felt an odd shift in her magic at the moment of passing. A battle was different, because she was so focused on living that she didn't have time to think of the dead. But sitting here and now in the silent green grove surrounded by the glow of fairy lights, Nabooru was all too aware of death. Almost as if the woman was fated to die like this. And Nabooru had interrupted a sacred moment by offering what meager help she thought she could provide.

She was taken out of her contemplation when the green haired girl leaned over and picked up the now quiet baby. Nabooru took that cue to stand up and stretch. She watched carefully as the girl held the baby. She seemed to struggle in placing her hands. Sighing, Nabooru swept the child up and leaned him in the crook of her arm before something disastrous happened to the babe. The little green-haired girl gasped in surprise but then put her hands on her hips and stuck out her lip. Nabooru chose to ignore her.

She gazed at the child in her arms. He had fair white skin and rosy chubby cheeks. A healthy child. A full head of golden blond hair graced the crown of his head. He had a small button nose and straight, pointed ears. He was truly a Hylian child. She adjusted the green triangle hat on his head that had been shaken loose and noted the fine material it was made from. The more she gazed at him, the more she grew to love him. The child opened his eyes and they were a startlingly deep blue. It reminded her of a Zora scale she saw for sale once in a shop window. The shopkeeper tried to claim it could produce a fountain of water but when challenged to prove the claim he backed off. But regardless, the child's eyes  _did_  make her believe they were fountains of glorious water that forever flowed and sustained life. Something precious that she should never take for granted.

Unknown to her, her smile was wide and her face was peaceful. The other green-clad children had gathered in front of her, a bit in awe at the sight. The moment was broken when one of the children tugged at her pantleg and demanded, "I wanna see 'im!" That started an avalanche of insistent pleadings that Nabooru could hardly keep up with.

"Children, Children. My dearest Kokiri, thy patience is needed."

Nabooru frowned as she looked up. She finally remembered the tales she was told of the Lost Woods, and the strange immortal children that lived in them. Having now seen them for herself she completely believed in the legend's authenticity. She turned to the towering tree and peered through its branches. Finally, she could see it. The face reminded her of a bearded old man, like one of the wizards that studied magic in the castle.

She took a deep breath before stating flatly, "You're the Great Deku Tree."

The branches shifted above her as if in a sign of affirmation. "Verily, yes. I am the guardian of this forest and hath been charged by the Golden Goddesses to take care of that child."

Nabooru was startled. "What?"

"That is a child of destiny. A great evil seeks to rear its head again and the boy will be the hero to protect Hyrule and keep it from falling into darkness. He hath already been blessed by my power to traverse the Lost Woods in safety."

Nabooru was silent for a while. What could she say? She felt such a deep connection with the child. But she wasn't sure if it was due to her earlier feelings of failure, laying there with his mother in the sacred moment of her death, or the sense she got when looking into his eyes that he could be a savior for her people. All she knew was that she didn't want to give the child up.

She had so many questions about him. Why would he be a hero? What great evil was coming? How would he know anything about the world if he was raised here, in the secluded forest? How could a  _tree_ , even a deity like the Great Deku, raise a child? If the whining children that surrounded her now were an indication of what he would grow to be like, Nabooru doubted his capability of becoming a hero. Her mouth was speaking before her mind caught up.

"No. No, he shouldn't be raised here. He's not quite past the age of death, he still needs a mother to provide for him. And if he  _is_  to save Hyrule he should live  _there_. He should understand what it's like and learn to love it. And he certainly can't be raised by a tree, no matter how noble a tree it may be, or by the ageless Kokiri. A child can't be raised by other children. I'm sorry, but I'm taking the child with me."

"No! You can't do that!"

"We want our brother!"

"Give him back! He's ours!"

For a single moment Nabooru questioned her judgement. Having shrieking children clinging to and punching her legs was nauseating. She then roared, "Back off!" She sent a few scurrying, but the other result of the outburst was the baby crying out again.

She turned to face the Great Deku Tree and calmly spoke over the noise, "Great Deku Tree. Please, you know I am correct. We Gerudo are strong and we take care of our own. If he is to grow to be a great warrior like you claim he will be, there is no better place to hone his skills then in the desert."

The Great Deku Tree was silent. The branches swayed to an invisible wind and the fairies twirled in a dance known only to them. Time passed and even the Kokiri settled down, awaiting the forest deity's final judgement. The girl with the green hair softly approached the tree and laid a hand on his bark. Her eyes seemed to plead with him. Unknown to Nabooru the girl felt a deep connection with the child as well. And if he were to leave already it would feel like a part of her would wither away.

Nervous at the Great Deku's lack of response Nabooru said in a much more pleading tone then she intended, "If he needs to come seeking guidance from you then when he comes of age I will send him here. But please, allow me to take him with me."

The Great Deku Tree then shifted and spoke in a much more formal tone then before, if that was at all possible.

"Nabooru, thou daughter of the Gerudo. Thou wast already fated to have a part and portion in the child's life. But now thou seekest to mold him under thy wing. I doth not know what to make of this. His spirit, so loved and guarded by his mother, now passed, is to retain virtue, valor, and love while being foraged in the fires of adversity. If he doth not succeed in this, his spirit can be corrupted and Hyrule is doomed. The Goddesses guided his mother to this grove. Of this, I can only assume he is to live here until the time he would depart on his quest."

Here the Deku Tree stopped. His branches swayed in rhythmic undulations as he appeared to be deep in thought. Nabooru shifted but said nothing. With each passing moment she felt as if the child was the key to her Tribe's salvation. And she would do anything to secure that. Her grip on the child tightened in an act of possessiveness but then loosened when she felt a shift in the air. A strange power seemed to cover the grove. It was at once peaceful but powerful, terrifying but thrilling, comforting but sweet. Nabooru's breath caught in her throat and she felt ashamed at the thought of using the child in such a way. He was innocent and pure. Yes, he was fated to become a hero, but currently he was but an infant. Unaware of the circumstances surrounding him, the boy laughed. His peals resonated throughout the grove.

Shaking, Nabooru knelt to the ground. The Kokiri stepped a few paces back, their eyes wide at the sight unfolding before them. She placed the child quietly on the grassy plain then looked up through tear filled eyes. 

Quietly she spoke, "I am but a humble Gerudo who recently completed the Rite of Passage. I cannot know or fathom the will of the gods and so I will be content with what the Goddesses have prepared for me in the role I will play in this child's life. I only ask to have the wisdom to see it, the courage to face it, the power to prove it, and the love to fill it."

Nabooru reverently bowed with her forehead pressed to the ground. She stayed like that for several minutes. What would happen next was a mystery to her, but she chose to trust that whatever decision the Goddesses determined was the correct choice. She knew full well that she should be punished for her insolence and silently pleaded that she herself was just a child. Then, painfully, she remembered the words her own mouth had uttered just few minutes earlier;  _"A child can't be raised by other children."_

Oh, what a fool she was. How could she so quickly forget how little she knew of the world? She was still awaiting the consequences for her latest failure in Castletown. And thinking of that reminded her of how she needed to get out of this forest and back to her desert home. Sighing, Nabooru drew a blank on what her next step was.

The Great Deku Tree began waving his branches erratically, the creaking and groaning of wood filling the void. They were then brought a still. A few drooped as if saddened, but others were raised up in excitement, while a few seemed to twist in either curiosity or worry. The green-haired girl gasped and wobbled. She immediately sat down on a giant root with tears at the corners of her eyes. Eventually, the Great Deku Tree spoke.

"Nabooru of the Gerudo," he paused, as if uncertain on how to continue. Nabooru waited patiently, barely lifting her head and fully expecting a reprimand for her unpardonable actions. "The Goddesses hath heard thy pleading. They hath examined thy heart and looked to the future. It doth appear that there are many paths the boy can take. I myself doth not know the future, but the Goddesses have stated that thou may take the boy and raise him in the Gerudo Tribe. His destiny still awaits him but perhaps Hyrule can change for the better with this."

Nabooru was unspeakably elated. She could take the boy with her!

"But," the Great Deku Tree continued, "thou must swear to do several things."

"Very well, what may those be?" Curious, Nabooru rose from the bow.

"Nabooru of the Gerudo, doth thou swear to never tell a soul of the child's destiny until the time it is revealed unto him, as dictated by the Golden Goddesses?"

"I swear."

"Nabooru of the Gerudo, doth thou swear to care for and protect the child, as a mother would, as dictated by the Goddess Hylia?"

"I swear."

"Nabooru of the Gerudo, doth thou swear to uphold the hero, to help him in his quest as a Sage of Spirit, and to not prevent his destiny through selfish desire?"

Somewhat puzzled, but still willing to comply, Nabooru finished the covenanting with a resounding, "I swear."

"Then Daughter of the Sands, provide unto him a portion of thy great spirit. Protect him from the temptations that he will face when dwelling in the desert. Raise him uprightly, in devotion to the Goddesses. His path will be long and difficult but understand that this has been the plan of the Goddesses from the beginning. Doth thou understand the consequences of thy choice?"

With excitement overtaking her, Nabooru impulsively tried to answer. Something held her back though. She really tried pondering the Great Deku Tree's words. The young woman placed a hand on the child and smiled at him. She had a slight inkling as to a few threats the desert would offer, beyond the excessive heat and dangerous creatures, but she wasn't aware of any particular temptations the desert had. If anything, is was scorned by many people including, sometimes, the Gerudo that survived there. And she grew up believing in the Goddesses but never devoted herself to them. After this experience, though, she was ready and willing to become their most zealous disciple.

Taking a deep breath, Nabooru responded, "I don't know what is in store for the child. But I vow that I will do my absolute best to protect him, raise him, and guide him in the path of the Golden Goddesses. I do not know what will happen because of my decision today, but I believe the child will be a blessing unto my tribe. The Goddesses have placed their trust in me, so I know that this is one of many good paths the child can take. Likewise, I will put my trust in them."

Having ended her speech, Nabooru reverently bowed low to the ground. When she came back up she was surprised to see the little green-haired girl standing before her. The girl was crying streams of tears, but she tried putting on a smile. 

In a broken voice she said, "I wanted to grow up with him. But if this is what has been decided, then... then I'm OK with that. As long as I get to play with him someday."

She paused to wipe away her tears with the edge of her sleeve. She then looked Nabooru in the eye. "My name is Saria. Since Link won't be living with us I want to give him something. So he will know he has friends waiting for him in the forest."

Nabooru smiled at Saria. She felt as if this was a very brave little girl. She placed a hand on the girl's shoulder then drew her in a hug. She whispered, "Thank you, Saria. You're a good friend to him already. I'll be sure to let him know that he has many good friends, so he won't ever be lonely."

When they pulled back, Nabooru saw that the children had circled around them. Many of them were shedding tears of their own.

"So, does this mean we won't have a baby brother?"

Saria looked at the little boy that asked the question and put her hand on his shoulder. "Link won't be living with us, Mido," she said quietly.

"Waaaaaah! But I wanted him!" The boy, Mido, wrapped his arms around Saria and cried.

Nabooru carefully took Link into her arms and said, "Here. You can hold him for a moment, while I figure how to leave this place."

Mido looked at her with astonishment. Nabooru tried really hard to not roll her eyes, but she carefully pulled out his arms and positioned them before she laid the baby in them. "Now, try to hold still and not move him around too much. And don't crowd him either." This last part she commanded to the other children who were quickly moving around a beaming Mido.

Keeping an eye on the children, Nabooru walked up to the large roots of the Great Deku Tree and looked into the deformed bark that created his face. He had been silent ever since her declaration. Nabooru paused. She couldn't think of anything to say. Finally she decided a 'thank-you' was in order.

"Thank you, Great Deku Tree, for listening to my ... crazy idea. I'm not entirely sure why or how I stumbled upon this place. But I firmly believe that the child- Link- that he will bring my people hope. And for that, I am sincerely grateful for your allowance in this."

The tree moved, pleased. "Thy words are kind, dearest Nabooru. I will hold thee to thy word, that when the day of his destiny comes thou willt sendest him to me."

She solemnly nodded, "I will."

"Good. I will send a fairy guide to him on that day. But for now, thou mayest leave through the Lost Woods. With the child at thy side, the path will open unto thee. I said before that I hath already blessed him. He will always know his way within these woods, and as long as I am guardian of this forest, he hath nothing to fear. Thou and the child should leave now, as thy sisters are preparing to leave Lon-lon Ranch. May the Goddesses be with you, Nabooru. And may Link return, prepared to hear his destiny."

Nabooru smiled, tipped her head again, and was about to turn away when she saw the prone figure of Link's dead mother. Frowning she asked, "What'll happen to his mother? It would be too cruel of a fate for a woman such as her to be turned into a Stalfos."

The Great Deku Tree responded, "She hath died beneath my branches. In this grove and in the place where the Kokiri rest their heads, all life is protected from such a withering fate. With my power I will transform her into a sapling, as her spirit sings to be reunited with her son. In this way she will be protected and see him in a future day."

Satisfied, Nabooru nodded a last time and walked away. There was nothing more to say. She walked to where she dropped her bags and found a piece of finely woven cotton cloth. She first looped that into a sling across her left shoulder. Then she tied all the bags together and slung them over her shoulder, the rupees and pots clanging together. Finally, she turned toward the gathered children who were still cooing over the baby. 

She approached them, knelt down, and said in a monotone voice, fully prepared for more screaming and crying, "It's time. We should leave."

Mido looked at her with mournful eyes, tears spilling over. He gave one big sniff and then slowly, gently handed her the baby. The other children were quiet. Some were rubbing their eyes and others were smiling. But none made a peep. 

Nabooru returned the smile and quietly promised, "He will come see you some day. And you'll be able to play together then."

Saria approached and stretched out her hands. In them was a wooden ocarina. She said, "It was made from a branch of the Great Deku Tree. There's magic in this. Link will know my song and that way we will know who he is."

Nabooru gently took the ocarina and placed it in the sling with the baby. "I'll be sure to keep it safe for him until he can play it." She then patted the top of Saria's head, stood up and walked out of the grove in silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: If you like this story so far, please, tell me! Leave a review as it really makes my day! Thanks – The Friendly Critiquer


	4. Consequences

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer! Any possible medical information given in this chapter or future chapters is probably not accurate. If there is a medical situation, see a proper physician. XP

 

**Time’s Saga**

**First Life: Prince of Power**

_“Remember, children, a shift in the wind or even the sand beneath your feet can change your fate. So therefore you must make your choices wisely. Because the consequences can be ever-lasting.”_

**Chapter 4: Consequences**

Nabooru stepped away from the forest's edge and breathed a sigh of relief. She was finally free. The journey away from the grove was a lot easier than getting there. A grey dim light seemed to illuminate her path, which made her wonder if she had been in the woods all night. Now walking out into Hyrule Field she saw that the sun was up fully. Two hours had probably passed since sunrise. She smiled when she saw the plateau that marked the location of Lon-lon Ranch. It wasn’t that far away.

Looking down at the sleeping baby she grinned, “Well, you’re certainly useful already, ya know that Kid?”

She allowed herself a moment to lean against the tree and drop the bags. Doing some light stretches to prepare her for the next leg of the journey was necessary. She carefully placed the baby on the ground and focused on relieving the tension from her aching body. Not for the first time did Nabooru thank the intense training she underwent as a child. True, she was tired, but she would have enough stamina to make it to Lon-lon ranch.

After completing a set Nabooru checked the bags and discovered that the potion she obtained was indeed the red healing potion. Taking a tiny sip, Nabooru relieved the stinging on her chest. The rest she stored in a safe place. Red potions were highly valued. If it wasn’t used by a member of her tribe it would fetch a fair price at the market.

Picking up the baby was a headache. Nabooru didn’t know if she should wake the child up now or see if he would manage to sleep during her travel through the field. With a frown she finally decided to pick him up quickly and tightened the sling around her. He’d have to wake up at some point. Making sure the ocarina was still there, Nabooru then took off at a quick jog. She fell into an easy pace. It was the kind that helped her cross the desert without tiring.

She made it to the bottom of the plateau in good time, so she slowed to a walk for the incline. Once the buildings were in sight she quickly scanned the place. There were a surprising number of people milling about, but Nabooru figured Lon-lon Ranch was the common destination of many who fled Castletown.

The attack seemed so long ago. It felt like a year had passed since she had seen her sisters. Nabooru quickened her pace. Her sisters would probably be at the far end, as the other refugees wouldn’t allow them to mingle near the buildings. They were lucky, though, to still have a gathering place that was safe from Hyrule Field. The current ranch owners were unlike many others in the country-side and welcomed the Gerudo. Part of it may have been because they only passed by twice a year and usually provided what Nabooru thought was more than enough compensation to hold their horses and supplies. Or the other reason may have been that the wife of the head rancher had Gerudo blood as well.

When she rounded the fence Nabooru realized that the campsite, with a cold firepit and tale-tell signs left in the grass, was already abandoned. Quickly turning on her heel, Nabooru headed towards the barns hoping that her sisters hadn’t left yet. She was so close to meeting up with them and she dearly wanted someone else to carry the bags.

She heard whistling within the corral, so she turned to find out who it was. Recognizing it as the rancher’s wife, with her unusual bright shock of red hair, Nabooru called out, “Sister Naomi! Where are my sisters?”

Hearing her name, the shorter and fairer skinned woman looked up from brushing her horse. A little shocked, Naomi replied, “At the barn preparing to leave.”

Sighing in relief, Nabooru thanked her. Surprisingly Naomi left her horses and hurried after her. In rapid fire, the rancher asked, “Where were you? I heard what happened at the castle, which is why we opened our gates, but your Sisters said you went missing when you were attacked near the Lost Woods. They stayed for an extra day, hoping you would come. They decided to leave this morning only because they thought you had… been lost.”

Nabooru stopped. An entire day had passed? She then shook her head and wondered again at the magic of the Lost Woods. And no wonder she was so hungry and thirsty. Those pains were something she faced before, so she had just shrugged it off. She had other priorities to focus on. But now that she was reminded of it, hunger came back in full force with a loud grumble.

Smiling ruefully, Naomi commented, “Hmmm, seems you’ll need some of our special milk if you haven’t eaten in twenty-four hours.”

Nabooru only grinned and said, “I’ll only drink it if it’s on the house!”

Then she ducked inside the barn. Sure enough, her sisters were saddling their horses and planning in low tones among themselves. Her grin only widening, Nabooru spoke in Gerudo in mock hurt, “You really believed I would have died in the Lost Woods and been turned into a Stalfos? How could my own sisters not believe in me?”

Everyone immediately turned toward Nabooru, stunned. Then loud peals of laughter and shouting filled the barn. Tahnra, who was adjusting a saddlebag, shot toward Nabooru with arms open wide. Realizing what she was about to do, Nabooru threw up her arms, took several steps back and shouted, “Wait, wait! No! STOP!”

Tahnra barely slowed down and still had to turn to avoid crashing into Nabooru. She tripped over a stone and fell into a pile of straw next to the door. Everyone else burst out laughing. Growing more serious and worried for the animals, Naomi took charge. “OK, OK, everyone out the door! You’re going to sour the milk with all your commotion.”

Nabooru just shrugged and went around the edge of the barn, with the others trailing behind with their questions. Around the corner of the barn, she finally dropped her bags and rubbed her shoulder. Ruvano stepped in front of her, hands on her hips, and scrutinized Nabooru.

“Well?”

“Well what?” Nabooru tried and failed at keeping a straight face.

“Nabooru….” The warning was there, but Ruvano couldn’t keep the smile off her face either.

Nabooru ran a hand through her hair. She hadn’t realized how difficult it would be to explain everything. Then with a jolt like lightening, she realized that she  _couldn’t_  explain everything. She swore not to. But, she would go with as much of the truth as she could.

Just as she opened her mouth to explain her adventure, the baby decided now would be a good time to scream. The other Gerudo sprang back with most of them in a defensive stance. Nabooru was quick to press the baby to her chest, but it did little to alleviate the child’s cries.

Ruvano’s eyes widened and she stuttered, “Na-Nabooru, is that a  _baby_!?”

Nabooru gave a weak grin and lamely stated, “Uh, it’s a long story.”

Thankfully, Naomi popped her head around the corner and asked, “I heard a baby crying. What’s going on?”

Tahnra relaxed her stance and gestured at the youngest in the group., “Nabooru stole a baby.”

“I did no such thing!” Nabooru exclaimed, “The mother was dying-”

Naomi walked over and held out her arms, “Gimme.”

Slightly abashed, Nabooru took out the screaming baby and handed him over. Naomi laid a hand across his forehead, then moved his swaddle and placed her hand on his stomach. During the woman’s examination of the child, Nabooru explained her story as quickly as she could.

“I got lost in the Lost Woods. But somehow, I don’t know how, I came across this grove where the Great Deku Tree resides. At the bottom of his trunk, a Hylian woman was lying there, dying. She... she didn’t make it. But the Great Deku Tree said it must have been part of the Goddesses’ plan that I arrived when I did. I was asked to take the child and raise him as Gerudo.” It wasn’t completely accurate, but Nabooru didn’t feel like explaining  _everything-_ everything right now. She looked Ruvano in the eye, daring her disbelieve her.

Naomi broke the uncomfortable silence. “Well, however you came across this child, he needs food. He looks to be fairly healthy, though his stomach is somewhat bloated. Give him too much food and he’s likely to develop cholic.”

“What do we do?” Nabooru asked with a bit of fear leaking into her voice. Ruvano gave her a hard look but stayed silent.

Naomi grinned and said matter-of-factly, “We give him food.”

And with that she loosened her scarf, tugged at her shirt, and brought out a breast. “I fed Malon two hours ago, but I should have enough to give this child something. Enough to satisfy his hunger, but not so much that he will overfill himself.” Recognizing the offered blessing, the baby latched on with his crying now a simple murmur. Naomi continued to give instructions. “I’ll feed him for a few minutes here. But he should feed again within thirty minutes. And then again in another hour. Basically, you want to go slow but constant.”

Naomi brushed the back of the child’s head as she leaned against the barn. “He’s a strong and healthy child. Must have born early this spring. Probably the same time as Malon. Going without feeding for a day would have been awful for any other baby that wasn’t so chubby. His mother must have cared for him a lot.”

Nabooru looked at the ground and nodded slowly. “She did. Everything she did, from when I first saw her to… to when she passed, it all for him.”

“Hmmrrrmmmm….” Tahnra moaned as she walked back and forth. “I don’t understand, Nabooru. What possessed you to save the child? It’s a Hylian male. What do you expect to do with him? You’ve done some crazy things in the past, but this… this is the King’s crown jewel!”

Nabooru glared down the finger Tahnra pointed in her face and smacked it away. She stared her senior in the eye and confidently stated, “I was charged with raising him. He will be Gerudo.”

It was a long moment before Tahnra crowed, “Bwahahaha! You can’t be serious! A Hylian male to be raised as a Gerudo? Hahaha! That’s a good one, Nabooru!” The other sisters joined in. The only ones that didn’t find it amusing were Nabooru, Ruvano, and Naomi, but each had their own view of the situation.

“I am serious!” The young woman shouted as she pushed off the barn side. Before she could take a step forward, Ruvano placed a hand on her chest.

“Enough! All of you! I will talk with Nabooru. The rest of you, finish your preparations. Make sure the treasures Nabooru brought back are put away properly.” Ruvano looked everyone down her sharp nose. Naomi was the first to move away and the others followed.

Ruvano turned her attention back to Nabooru. Her golden eyes stared at the young woman. A million questions went through the leader’s mind. She was, frankly, overwhelmed at the situation. A dearly beloved sister went missing during an attack none of them should have been mixed up in and when she came back, from a cursed place, no less, she claimed she was asked to take care of a Hylian male baby. It was surreal and not anything she, as the troupe leader, was expecting to face in her time in Hyrule.

They stayed like that, both finding more questions and less answers than they hoped in each other’s eyes. Finally, Ruvano sighed and, brought Nabooru into a fierce hug. “Oh, Nabooru! Why did’ya have to go running off like that? And into the Lost Woods of all things! We were worried sick about you. Poor Tahnra wanted to go back to find you, but by then Stalfos were crawling the area. Quite a few had woken up due to the outpouring of people from Castletown.”

She continued to hug Nabooru and she didn’t seem inclined to let go. Nabooru didn’t mind. It was good to be among her own kin again.

“Some of the others wanted to leave yesterday, but Tahnra refused to go. I only managed to convince her to leave today because I believed no one could have survived for that long in the Lost Woods. How on earth are you still here?” With that, Ruvano cupped Nabooru’s face in her hands and stared intently at her.

Nabooru shrugged. “I’m not entirely sure. A lot of things happened that I’m still trying to sort out. But the Great Deku Tree said he had blessed the child against the curse of the Lost Woods and that he would always be safe there. So I know that’s how I got  _out_  of the woods.”

Ruvano took a step back and crossed her arms. “So, the child is blessed, huh?” She was quiet for a long moment. Nabooru opened her mouth to insist that she wouldn’t leave the child behind, but before she could utter a sound her leader held up her hand.

“Nabooru. I don’t believe that I'm in position to demand anything from you or the child. But raising a Hylian male is unheard of in our culture. I need you to think carefully about this. Who’s to say the boy’s father still isn’t alive, or that he has other kin who would like to know of his fate? Hmm? And what would the Hylian Monarchy do when they find out that we took a Hylian baby to the desert with us? King Ganondorf is trying his hardest to improve our relations and something like this could alienate Hyrule and their aide. I can only guess at your reasoning for taking the child but know that the consequences for rescuing him won’t end when we get to the desert.”

Vigorously shaking her head in agreement, Nabooru insisted, “I know. I already had a long conversation with the Deku Tree on this. But I'm convinced that we need the child. He- I- When I picked him up I… I felt a deep connection with him. There’s something special about that boy.”

Ruvano stared curiously at her and bluntly asked, “Are you sure you’re not mistaking your personal salvation for the Tribe’s?”

Nabooru’s jaw dropped. How could she mean that? Ruvano continued, “I understand that you are upset and feel as if you are a failure since you weren’t able to bed any Hylian men. But this- this situation with the baby -it’s… it’s too much!”

Trembling, Nabooru shook her head even harder. Her voice rose in both pitch and volume with each spoken word. “No. No! I had an experience in that forest, Ruvano! I felt the Goddesses’ presence wash over me. Why else would I have found the grove, when every other person who has entered those woods ends up a damned soul!? I was meant to find the boy! And I will do my part to lead and guide him in both the ways of our traditions and in the Goddesses’ chosen path. He may not have a drop of Gerudo blood in him, but  _he_   _will be Gerudo._ ”

Slightly taken back by her outburst Ruvano took a step away and dropped her arms. Realizing how inappropriate it is to yell at her leader, and shocked by how close she came in revealing the boy’s mysterious destiny, Nabooru immediately clammed up.

Several awkward moments passed. Ruvano looked up to the sky and mumbled a few short words. Probably a prayer. Nabooru, on the other hand was silent and staring at the ground. After another long minute ticked by Ruvano let out a deep sigh. What little fight she had in her was extinguished. This was too far over her head. She needed the Council to decide.

“We’ll head back home today. But when we get there I’m calling the Council together, Nabooru. You’ll need to answer for your actions.” Ruvano sternly said as she walked away. “Come on. It’s nearly noon. We’ve lost enough daylight as it is.”

Nabooru nodded absently. The Council. She didn’t want to face them.

Swallowing down her fear, Nabooru followed her leader into the barn to finish the preparations. She found Naomi waiting with the baby, two filled skins, and a glass bottle. Nabooru quickly walked over and Naomi grinned.

“Well it’s your lucky day, Nabooru. With the situation being what it is in Castletown we can’t deliver the milk. And well, spoiling milk is such a waste so looks like you can have that bottle on the house.”

Nabooru grinned right back and gratefully took the offered drink. It was a large bottle, so it took her three gulps to finish it off. Licking her lips she returned the bottle. “Thank you, Naomi. You’re a great help.” Naomi just smiled. She then passed off the skins for which Nabooru glanced at her questioningly.

Naomi answered, “It’s for the baby. I assumed you wouldn’t be separated from him. But seeing as how you’re not lactating he needs to be fed other milk. It’s from our stock, obviously. If you have any red potion add a couple of drops per skin, in case he does develop some form of sickness.” Smiling, Nabooru threw her arms around Naomi as carefully as she could, with the boy between them.

“Thank you. I do have some.” Pulling back, Nabooru looked for the bag that held the red potion. Naomi followed her to where Tahnra was sorting through the treasures.

Grinning, Tahnra was looping some pearls around her neck. “Don’t I look ravishing, Lady Nabooru?” She inquired with a flutter of eyelids.

Nabooru snickered, “Those Lakebed pearls I found certainly look better on a woman like you than just wasting away in that safe I found ‘em in.”

“Oi, oi! Careful what you say around me!” Naomi complained. Rocking the baby she scolded the women, “Remember, I’m a rancher’s wife. By law I have to answer the soldiers if they ever come around.”

“Eh, Lon-lon Ranch is too important to the Castle,” Tahnra replied as she took off the necklace and unceremoniously stuffed it in another bag.

“That doesn’t mean _I_  can’t get in trouble!” came the objection, “I’m just the rancher’s wife, who happens to have some ‘seedy relations’. You have no idea how hard it is to keep a good reputation here.”

Tahnra just shrugged, “Well, then, don’t.”

“OK, enough!” Nabooru butted in. If Tahnra kept going like this there was a high chance that Naomi would slap her.

“I just want that red potion, Tahnra. I can’t find it in these bags, so where did it go?”

“Uh, packed. Front saddle bag.”

Nabooru scrambled to find it.

“But why do you need it anyway?” Securing the last of the treasures, Tahnra stood up. There was a frown on her face. “Nabooru. What do you need that red potion for? We should save it.”

Having found the rare item, Nabooru then uncorked it. Puzzled by her actions, Tahnra laid a hand over the bottle.

“Nabooru! Answer already!”

With a disgruntled sigh, Nabooru finally looked up. “I’m just going to add a few tiny drops to the milk for Link. I don’t want him getting sick.”

Blinking, Tahnra processed what she said. Using the moment of bewilderment, Nabooru snatched the bottle away.

“Wait. You’re talking about the  _baby!?_ ”

“Stop shouting Tahnra. Just a little red potion would help him a lot.” Naomi scolded as she shifted the baby in her arms.

Ignoring her, Tahnra reached for Nabooru. “Nabooru, stop! Why are you wasting red potion on  _it_?”

Nabooru finally paused to glare at her. “ _His name is Link,_ ” she growled.

Tahnra was about to come back with an angry retort about how saving the red potion would be better used for the Gerudo, but then Ruvano stepped in. The troupe leader had heard the commotion from several stalls down.

“What’s going on here?” She asked in a sharp tone.

“It doesn’t matter. I’m already done.” And with that, Nabooru corked the bottle and placed it back into the saddlebag.

Seething, Tahnra accused, “Nabooru just wasted good red potion for the baby.”

“I recommended it," Naomi quickly spoke up in defense, "Lon-lon milk is incredible, but it can only do so much. Surely my sisters can spare a few drops for an innocent baby.  _Regardless_  of race. We’re no longer at war. It’s time the Gerudo remembered that.”

“Well maybe you shouldn’t be so quick to forget your sisters who still live in poverty!” Tahnra shot back. “Maybe you shouldn’t be so quick to forgive those who slaughtered us by the hundreds!”

Now red in the face, Naomi shouted, “Talon did no such thing, and you know it! Lon-lon Ranch was one of the few safe places in the entire war because of  _his_  efforts! And I’ve been working my damnedest to help my sisters however I can here! But I can only do so much.”

“Enough!” Cried Ruvano at the same time Link shrieked. Naomi was quick to press him to her breast again. Rubbing the topaz circlet attached to her head, Ruvano spoke, “We may not understand your feelings or situation, Naomi, but we  _do_  understand your sacrifice. The Gerudo are always grateful for Lon-lon’s help. We need as many allies as we can.”

Calming down with a great sigh, Naomi admitted, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t of shouted like that. It’s just… never mind.”

Tahnra was silent as she glared at the ground. After a long moment she looked up to stare longingly at the rancher. In a dry whisper, she rasped, “By Din, Naomi. You were one of our best Hunters and therefore warriors. But to see you playing housewife in Hyrule it’s… not Gerudo.”

Naomi just hummed. She focused on brushing Link's fair locks to avoid looking at the taller woman. There was no answer that she could give that Tahnra would understand.

“Well, then. Now that that’s settled… Nabooru!” Ruvano ordered

Straightening her shoulders and widening her stance a little, Nabboru looked up with a little fear in her eyes. She tried staying out of the spat, even though she was ultimately responsible for starting it. With a stony look, Ruvano stated, “Using the red potion wasn’t your call to make.”

“With all due respect, Troupe Leader, you’re wrong.” Nabooru boldly stated back. She swallowed thickly and tightly gripped her hands behind her back to keep them from shaking.

Throwing her arms into the air, Ruvano raised her voice. “Everyone! We’re leaving.  _Now_.” Giving the troublesome young girl a pointed look, Ruvano turned on her heal and stomped away.

Tahnra pushed Nabooru to the side to check everything one last time. “You need to stop this, Nabooru,” she warned, “You’ll only walk into a tektite nest if you keep this up.”

Shrugging, Nabooru just silently walked away. She knew she was in trouble now, but there wasn’t anything she could do about it. And surprisingly, she didn’t feel regret for what she said or did.

“I’m sorry for the trouble I caused you,” Nabooru said quietly to Naomi was following close behind.

“Hmmm. It’s nothing I can’t handle. I just don’t believe this boy should suffer for the sins of his people.”

Nabooru slowly nodded. She wanted to agree, but the haunting words of the Great Deku Tree returned to her. “Naomi,” she turned, “How do you do it?”

“Do what?”

“How do you still manage to live in Hyrule even though you’re Gerudo?”

Naomi rocked the baby as she thought. Turning away, Nabooru muttered, “Never mind. I need to get my horse.”

“Nabooru, com’on!” Tahnra shouted. She was impatiently pulling the leads of two horses. As she passed by Nabooru, she threw one lead to her. Nabooru followed her sisters out the door to mount. She was pleased to note that the horse she and Tahnra had taken from the rebel was being led as well. It was laden down with some of the treasures Nabooru had managed to rescue.

Naomi followed and once Nabooru had adjusted the cloth swing that was still tied around her, she passed the baby into Nabooru’s waiting arms. “I don’t quite have an answer to your question. There are just some things I deeply care about. I hope you understand someday, as well as the rest of the Gerudo.” A tinge of sadness was heard in Naomi’s speech.

Shaking her head as if to wake herself, Naomi then dictated, “He fell asleep. But if he doesn’t wake up on his own in another twenty minutes be sure to rouse him. He may be grumpy, but he needs the food. Do less than one-third of a skin at a time. Then let him rest for another hour. Hopefully, he’ll wake up hungry again and not sick.”

Nabooru smiled and jokingly said, “My goodness Naomi! Being a wife has made you insistent.” She leaned down and grasped Naomi’s outstretched arm.

Grinning back Naomi replied, “Well, with that child I’m sure you’ll learn why! Safe travels, Sister.”

“And may the Goddesses bless you with prosperity,” Nabooru replied in kind. With that, she urged her chestnut mare forward to catch up with the group.


	5. The Long Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Before I get any comments on Ganondorf being OOC let me just clarify that currently this Ganondorf is not the same one from the game! I mentioned at the beginning that I want my characters to be human, and undergoing change is part of that. I don't believe anyone is inherently "bad", but the choices he makes will turn him into the villain we all know and love. The transformation will happen with plenty of consequences. Just be patient.

  **T** **ime's Saga**

**First Life: Prince of Power**

_"And so the silly tortoise slept his days away. He missed the grandest festival of Din's Day ever known and he slept through the drought that caused the extinction of the sand seals. He even continued sleeping as a former Great King brought his people prosperity. It is said he's still sleeping today, and look at all that he has missed! So don't be like the sleepy tortoise and sleep your days away."_

**Chapter 5: The Long Night**

The group of eight were weary when they came within sight of the fortress. It was in the span between late at night and early morning, a devilish hour to be up at. Usually a trip from Hyrule's Castletown was a two-day affair, but Ruvano pushed them hard. With the events of the last several days many monsters had been disturbed and so roamed the fields freely. A group of eight Gerudo would usually have no trouble in facing the various stalfos, poes, and bokoblins that appeared, but being heavily laden with numerous traded and pilfered goods, Ruvano didn't want to take any more chances in losing either the treasure or an individual. Nabooru suspected that the baby boy's cries were also to blame for their intense pace.

He had become much more active during the horse ride then he was when Nabooru trekked the Lost Woods. It was ultimately a good sign, but it also meant she had to constantly feed him. And that was a challenge for her. Nabooru had helped mothers with their children before, but it was still a fairly new experience. The other sisters were of great help. Each having birthed a child of their own and having resigned themselves to the fact that the boy would be with them for at least this journey, they were open to passing Link between them. It almost turned into a sort of amusing game to keep them occupied during the hard push through the barren and long canyon. Luckily, they made it through without incident. The monsters they did spot were quickly outpaced. And the few leevers or tektites that appeared were easily added to the bags of loot.

Exhausted, they rode up to the gate where a guard on watch slowly opened the heavy doors. Too slowly, in Nabooru's mind. She managed an uncomfortable cat nap during the ride with one of the sisters leading her horse, but it did little to rejuvenate Nabooru's mind or body. Having dismounted, the group waited for an order from Ruvano. She spoke loudly, to make sure they heard her through their sleep deprived minds.

"Give me the child. I'll take him to Mother Heruta and explain the situation. I don't want you to be spreading word of what happened. The council should be informed of it first, understand? Now go to your quarters. Get some rest. And Nabooru; Be prepared to face the Council at noon."

With that Ruvano walked away with Link in her arms. Nabooru didn't want him to go, but she was far too tired to protest. Or do anything really. She followed the others toward the lean-to stables where some other sisters, who were made aware of their return from the guard, helped them unpack their bags and cool down their horses. Grateful for their assistance, Nabooru left for her own quarters to get some much-needed rest. She hadn't slept for nearly two days – three, if time passed the same in the Lost Woods, which she didn't think it did.

She made her way through the halls of the fortress. It was built a long time ago by her ancestors. The cool stone was a sharp relief when compared to the blistering sands, and it could also be a stable shelter against the biting night wind. The interspersed torches provided enough light for those who were used to the slight inclines that happened with each sharp turn.

Finally, Nabooru reached her room. She quietly pulled back the curtain, hoping to not wake her sisters. The Fortress was large, but most of the rooms were used for productivity purposes, such as storing food and supplies, so rooms for sleeping had to be shared.

Realizing no one would be awake at this time of night, Nabooru breathed a sigh of relief. But when she shuffled over to her mat, she tripped over someone's leg that happened to be sticking out. She then fell on top of another person, who promptly woke up.

"What the- get off me!"

"Ooff! Sheelia!" Nabooru whimpered when a fist pounded into her shoulder.

"Nabooru!? You're back!" And just as Nabooru managed to prop herself up she was brought back into the girl's chest for a hug. "Uula! Wake up! Nabooru's back!" Sheelia shouted right into Nabooru's ear.

"Mm-wha..?" The other girl, the one Nabooru happened to trip over, just mumbled and turned over.

Finally untangling herself from Sheelia, Nabooru clambered to the last sleeping mat in the small room. She said in a no-nonsense kind of way, "Sheelia, settle down. It's been a hard trip back. I need sleep."

"But I wan-" Sheelia prodded, all sleep having left her.

"No. I need to be awake enough to meet with the Council at noon, so stay quiet," Nabooru murmured.

"The Council? Why do you need to talk with them? What happened in Hyrule?" Sheelia asked in rapid fire. Soft snoring was her only answer. Shaking her head with a grin no one saw, Sheelia laid back down.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

Elsewhere in the fortress, others were awake. A light tinkling sound filled the air when Ruvano rang the bell next to a large curtained-off area. She knew her King was awake, with the shuffling of papers and the golden candle glow that leaked through the edges of the curtain.

A deep voice commanded, "Enter."

Ruvano carefully pulled back the curtain and stepped through, her high-heels making loud clicking noises in the silent study. It was one of two rooms set aside for this purpose, in the entire fortress. The other was haphazardly organized and filled to the brim with tomes and manuscripts. In contrast, this room was sparse, with only a low desk centered in the back and a variety of books, letters, inkwells, pots, and other assortments of needed equipment the Gerudo leader used to maintain order, all nicely stacked in the corners. And seated behind the desk, his frame nearly filling the wall behind him, was the Gerudo King.

"Hello Ruvano. So it was you I heard coming through the gate not too long ago. I'm glad you made it back safely." The imposing man spoke softly, his baritone voice rising and cascading in the unique language of the Gerudo.

Ruvano dropped to both knees and bowed her head in respect, but quickly seated herself properly cross-legged. Her King acknowledged her show of respect and continued speaking, "I'll keep this short, since I know you must be tired from your journey. We had just received word that there was an attack on Hyrule Castle three days ago now. We were all surprised and worried that you hadn't returned yet. Just give me the short version. The details can come after some rest."

Ruvano gave a grateful smile, the dark circles under her eyes not marring her beauty in the slightest. "Thank you, my King. There was an attack, but we were made aware of it just before it happened due to Nabooru's quick sense. We were separated for a time. Nabooru was gone the longest, having scarified riding a horse so Tahnra could get to safety. We all eventually met at Lon-lon Ranch, laden with the goods we had traded and taken, as well as bearing children."

Ganondorf leaned back, a smile on his face. "Good. It sounds like the time in Castletown was well spent. Thank you for your report. Get some rest."

Unexpectedly, Ruvano shook her head, her worry finally showing through. "That's -ah- My King..." She trailed off, not knowing where to begin. Her shoulders slumped, and her fingers tapped an anxious rhythm on the stone beneath her.

Now troubled, Ganondorf waved his hand to encourage her to continue. "Let it out, Ruvano. If something happened, tell me."

Pursing her lips, Ruvano quickly decided on which path to take. "I ask for a meeting of the Council. Nabooru.... found a Hylian child during the time she was separated from us. She claims the dying mother's wish was for her to take care of the boy." 

Ganondorf's eyes widened. This was something he could never have expected. Though extremely curious, he stayed silent to hear the rest of the woman's words.

Ruvano continued in a rush, "I didn't know what to do. I said that we came bearing children, but Nabooru never managed to bed a man in our time there. I don't want to disbelieve her claim, but I also know she feels like a failure in something she sees as an important duty to the Tribe. I fear that she's not thinking clearly about raising the boy as a Gerudo. I had no idea how to handle the situation, so I brought the boy back to the Fortress. He's with Mother Heruta for now."

Ruvano looked beseechingly at her King. She was clearly overwhelmed, and Ganondorf could understand why. Truthfully, he was shocked and currently unsure how to proceed as well. He crossed his arms and looked down at the desk. Taking a deep breath he then slowly stated, "Thank you of informing me of this now, Ruvano. I can clearly see where you would have difficulty in deciding what to do. This will be taken up with the Council. For now, go. Get some much-needed rest. This is now a concern for me to decide."

Grateful, Ruvano stood up and tipped her head. She walked to the curtain and before brushing past it she quietly said, "You should get some rest as well, Ganondorf."

He only made a non-committal sound with her exit. As her clacking steps faded he continued looking at the papers before him. He was trying to draft yet another letter to the King of Hyrule.

It had been decided by the Council not long ago that the desert and dry valley should officially be placed under Hyrulian sovereignty. The current King of Hyrule managed to have the Zoras and Gorons agree to his rule, and the Gerudo would only be the latest in the diplomatic expansion. Seeing how the other races still managed to maintain their way of life while receiving a multitude of benefits from the capital, it was woefully agreed that this was the course the Gerudo should take.

If there ever was reason for war with the Hyrulian Royalty, the Gerudo would be utterly wiped out when faced against the growing forces of Humans, Gorons, and Zoras. No, Ganondorf's people had already suffered enough calamity with the civil war having ended only a few years ago. Their numbers had dwindled, and the miserly desert was unwilling to continue providing enough resources for a strong return to power. The green fields of Hyrule were his people's last hope. But seeing as how they were already occupied, as well as the Gerudo's current lack of strength, assimilating into Hyrule's continued expansion would hopefully prove for the better.

But only if Ganondorf could figure out how to write the blasted declaration without sounding like a beggar!

Frustrated, he knew he couldn't keep working like this. Snuffing out the candle, he left the study. Knowing he wouldn't be able to fall asleep just yet, he wandered the halls of the Fortress until he made his way outside. It was cold, and the stars were shining bright against the clear black sky.

Taking a deep breath, Ganondorf let his magical power swirl languidly. He could sense the majority of his sisters were home, protected and safe within the stone walls. Their trips to Hyrule had been successful for the most part. Many brought back bags of grain, dried fruits and vegetables, wood and tools, and even some valuable property they could sell back for a good price.

In his younger years Ganondorf may have felt bad for taking something that clearly wasn't his, but after witnessing his own sisters suffer and die for a lack of want for two decades he didn't feel guilty in the slightest. And if the stupid, fat nobles they stole from continued purchasing and repurchasing their own treasures, well, all the better for the Gerudo. They would continue providing for themselves in any way possible, though as King he ordered no one to ever take a life when thieving. He wasn't about to have blood on their hands for the price of a few hundred rupees.

Ganondorf continued his slow even breathing. He meditated on what his next steps should be. As King, all his sister's fears, worries, and suffering were on his shoulders. He had known that was his duty ever since he could comprehend words, but with every year that passed those duties became ever more burdensome. He had taken charge of the Council four years ago, on his seventeenth birthday. One year after his rite of passage, and only a few months before the end of the civil war. It was ultimately his choice to pull his sisters back from the battlefield that contributed to the end of the bloody mess. Years later, and he still didn't know if that was the right choice.

His senses suddenly alerted him to an unusual presence. He opened his eyes in shock. Ganondorf wasn't entirely sure where it was coming from, but he knew the power was raw and unmasked. How arrogant of them! As he went stalking off, a scimitar appearing in his hand through summoning magic, he wondered if the threat deliberately wanted him to know it was there. Broadcasting their power in such a display was a blatant challenge to his own abilities.

Almost growling, Ganondorf quickly moved through the halls. As he pinpointed where the magic was flowing from he grew worried. It was coming from Mother Heruta's quarters, the nursery. He could now hear a baby wailing. Not wasting any time, he swiped away the curtain to see what was the matter.

Mother Heruta turned in shock. The old woman then chortled when she saw her king standing in the door way, looking ready to cut down any threat.

"My King, what brought you here this late at night?" Heruta inquired as the laughing fit passed. Her voice was cracked and raspy, but she spoke clearly enough.

Still wary of the overwhelming presence he felt, Ganondorf slowly stepped into the room. His eyes darted about, the magical power fluctuating radically. Still unnerved, he stepped closer to Mother Heruta and calmly said, "There's an unusual magical power, raw and unfiltered. It's coming from this room."

Frowning, the stooped old woman raised an eyebrow. She was about to reply when the baby she had been patting let out another loud wail. Ganondorf unconsciously took a step backwards as the force of the magic spiked again. Quickly he formed a few small orbs of light and rose them to the ceiling.

"Oh, really now Ganny. You could've gave a warning," complained Heruta. Her eyes were shut, but she continued to rock the baby in the center of the room.

Again, Ganondorf scanned the room, but there was nothing unusual. There were blankets and bed rolls on the floor. Two little girls just past the age of walking rolled over in their blankets, disturbed by the light. And there was another baby, just a few months old packed snugly in a basket. But other than the hammocks hanging from the ceiling and on the walls, which was the Gerudo's version of shelves, there was nothing else. Nothing that could produce such erratic waves of magic. Ganondorf decreased the amount of light in the room and turned back to the older woman.

"Well, are you done now, My King? You should respect your elders more and give time to react to sudden changes like that. You about gave me a stroke!" Mother Heruta continued to complain.

Ganondorf just snorted and said not unkindly, "Mother Heruta, it's unlikely that you're ever going to die. You're about as old as the Fortress."

The woman just threw back her head and cackled., "My dear Ganny, I may be old, but I'm not  _that_  old."

The King grew serious, the moment of levity gone as the power fluctuated again. "I still don't understand. There is still something in this room that is causing a lot of magical power to fluctuate."

"Hmmm. I'm sorry, my King. I know about children and our good Gerudo ways, and even some magic healing arts, but I don't have the sensibilities like you do." The woman also turned serious. She knew Ganondorf well because she raised him, just like almost every other Gerudo alive today. And she knew he never wasted his time on menial things, so for him to come all the way to the nursery talking about a mysterious source of magic meant there was something wrong.

"Things were pretty quiet up until about an hour ago, when Ruvano came by and handed me this poor child here." Heruta paused in her rocking and lifted the baby off her shoulder. "She explained a bit of the situation to me, but I'm sure you understand what is going on better than I do. Regardless, I'm charged with taking care of the children. And I don't particularly mind if this one isn't Gerudo." With that, she gave Ganondorf a pointed look.

Ganondorf just remained impassive as he swung an orb closer to the couple. The boy was fair-skinned, with a bunch of tousled golden locks. As the light drew closer, the baby squinted, but Ganondorf saw its deep blue eyes. It was quite an unusual color for a Hylian baby. True, a lot of Hylians had blue eyes, but most of their babies started off with light blue or grey eyes, before the pigment deepened as they aged.

Curious, Ganondorf asked, "How old do you think he is?"

Mother Heruta hummed a moment before answering, "I would have to say he was born mid-spring. He seems the age to have started eating mush, but he's certainly a lot fatter than most Gerudo babies. His mother must have been very healthy to have produced a son this strong."

Ganondorf only nodded, though he didn't have much of an opinion on the child's parents. He was still concerned. The magic was still fluctuating, though it seemed to have settled somewhat.

Mother Heruta was in quite the talkative mood because she continued. "It's a good thing he's so strong. From what Ruvano told me, he didn't eat for at least twenty-four hours. That can be deadly for a child his age, not only because babies need to eat every few hours but because once they start eating again they're liable to gouge themselves and get sick. He's been irritable ever since he got dropped off, but a few minutes before you showed up he was making quite a fuss. Thankfully, it looks like he's settled down now. I'm going back to bed... unless you want to check the covers for any mysterious Bubbles that might appear and try to curse me?"

Ganondorf just gave her a disapproving glare, "Hrump. It's more than likely that you'll curse the Bubble then give it to one of the children to play with."

The woman just cackled and shuffled over to another basket and neatly stuffed the child inside. The boy whimpered and attempted to cry out again, but Heruta would have none of it. Quicker than on old lady should move, she popped a clothed wrapped bundle with a smooth and rounded horse bone sticking out of it, into the baby's mouth. The murmuring was muted and eventually it stopped.

"Ah, works every time," Mother Heruta straightened and quite a few creaks and pops could be heard in the quiet room. "Well, Ganondorf. If there really is nothing else, I suggest you go to bed. I know you haven't been sleeping well since the decision was made for Gerudo Valley to become a province of Hyrule, but you need sleep. Powerful you may be, but that power also relies on your physical health." She stared up at him with concern and pointed at the doorway. "Get going already. You'll figure things out in time."

Ganondorf nodded slowly and backed out of the room. His eyes flickered between Mother Heruta and the boy she just laid down. Eventually he said, "Very well, Mother. Sleep well." He then passed the threshold and slowly walked away.

He was now more troubled than ever. He had already pieced it together in his mind, but it seemed too unbelievable to be true. When the baby was wailing the loudest, that was when the magic power had the greatest fluctuations. But when he settled down, they were muted. But at the moment Mother Heruta popped the teething bundle in his mouth, the magic changed again. It was calmer, but Ganondorf sensed an emotion underneath. Something akin to happiness.

It was undeniable. That boy had an overflowing well of magic. More than the Gerudo King had ever sensed in anyone else before. 


	6. The Council Meeting

**Time's Saga**

**First Life: Prince of Power**

_"Magic is a part of this land. It fills every creature and plant. It's given to every person, though not everyone receives it equally. Yes, you too will learn to use magic someday. Oh, you're asking who's the greatest magic user? Well, our King is pretty powerful, and so are the Twinrova. Yes, Nabooru does have magic, but she doesn't use it much."_

**Chapter 6: The Council Meeting**

The next morning found Ganondorf standing near the top of the fortress. He had slept for a few hours but found himself unable to continue resting when light broke over the desert. The sun hadn't quite risen yet, but he waited patiently. He quietly meditated while slowly going through the well-known motions of duel-wielding his blades.

The sun brought with it both light and heat. Its essence was power. Without its constant beating upon the earth nothing would live. But Ganondorf was all too aware of the consequences of being overexposed to the powerful rays. Though well-adapted to living in the desert, at least one or two Gerudo would die due to heat stroke every year. Though the hottest season had passed they couldn't relax. The major sandstorms were coming, which could be deadlier than the baking sun.

With a final methodical twirl of the two blades as the sun's first rays reflected off them, Ganondorf ended his meditation. Having casually released the blades, they fell, but instead of touching ground they disappeared in flurry of particles. He had mastered high-tiered summoning magic years ago, as well as mid-tier magic of the elements earth, fire, and shadow. But he still needed work on his transformation magic, as well as the other elements of ice, water, and wind. And despite being tutored by two witches who were the acclaimed masters of Blood Magic he stayed away from it.

Ganondorf frowned when he saw two large shapes descending from the sky. With his reprieve over he gave a large sigh, crossed his arms, and waited for the two witches to approach him. They were a novelty of sorts. Twins were rare enough in the Gerudo, but because both have a deep reservoir of magic it elevated them to a state of veneration within the tribe. They managed to rediscover the long-fabled Blood Magic before any possibility of death to old age could occur. Whatever secrets they managed to unravel had preserved their lives for over three-hundred years. Their bodies had certainly not aged as well as their minds. Even from here, Ganondorf could examine, though he tried to look away from the unsettling sight, of their bulbous eyes and paper-thin skin. For all his witnessing of gruesome deaths, their lack of death was most disturbing.

In a perfect rhythm one sister would look young, about as young as a three-hundred-year-old could look, with red blood coloring her skin to the proper tan color and clearing her eyes of any misty look. The other sister would look sickly, with milky eyes, green-colored skin, and flesh taunt over bone while sagging on weak muscle. Then in a heartbeat both their eyes would become bloodshot and one would fade into the dead-and-haggard look and the other would turn to the somewhat normal appearance. In another heartbeat they would switch again. The entire effect was unsettling.

"King Ganondorf, we have some important matters to discuss with you," Koume, the fiery witch creaked.

"Something is amiss. We felt an unusual presence coming from this place," Kotake coldly stared him down.

Ganondorf's frown only grew. He was a tall man, like most Gerudo, but these witches, having sacrificed their physical powers for magical ones, used brooms to float above others. It was maddening, their continued disrespect to their rightful King. Of course, they had witnessed other Kings grow and die within their extended lifetimes, but it still didn't excuse their actions.

Keeping his revulsion under control, Ganondorf replied, "I know. I have the situation under control. This matter does not concern you so go back to the Colossus."

Giving each other an unsatisfied look, the witches lowered their brooms and began circling Ganondorf. It was hard for him to not roll his eyes. They had done this to him many times as a child, as a way to intimidate him. Now, as a full-grown man  _and King_ , he could only scoff at their attempts of coercion.

"But my liege,"

"few could have such power,"

"such raw energy."

"This is something we,"

"Sisters,"

"should know about."

"Is it friend,"

"or foe?"

"If it is not Gerudo,"

"it is always,"

" _Foe_."

"It is too late in the season,"

"for a sister to have born a child."

"So this must mean that this power,"

"came from without the valley."

"IT IS DANGEROUS! GET RID OF IT!"

This last part was shouted in unison, as they halted in front of Ganondorf. He hadn't moved a muscle during their circling. Noting the intensity of their stares, Ganondorf stared back with greater ferocity. These two sisters may have been respected elders, but that respect was born of fear. They had gotten use to their demands being met over their long lives, so expected the same now; even from the chieftain of the tribe. In contrast, Ganondorf was King by birthright. He had been raised by and lived among his sisters all his life and had earned their respect through his merits. A flash of pride coursed through him, and he refused to bow to the witches' demands.

"Koume. Kotake. Need I remind you that  _I_  am King? I have the Council's trust and admiration because I am here working with my sisters shoulder to shoulder. What  _I_  decide is best for the Tribe and I will not bow to any single demand unless is it the right path forward. Now I am willing to extend an invitation for you to sit in the council that will happen at noon today, but that is as far as your influence will reach in this matter."

With that he turned around and walked through an entry way leaving the twins to gape at him.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

Nabooru was grumpy when she was shaken awake. The restful sleep she was in had not completely rejuvenated her. She knew she would be groggy all day, so she stretched to get her blood flowing enough to attend the mandatory meeting. There was no way to forget about it because the tension of the boy's fate kept leaking into her dreams.

She didn't know what she would do if the Council refused to take in the orphan. Or at least, she assumed he was an orphan. Suddenly realizing she never got the mother's name and so she had no clue as to who the father might be, Nabooru frowned and thought a moment. Then she shook her head and rolled her shoulders. The Goddesses had approved of her taking the child. It was unlikely that the boy's father had survived the attack, if he hadn't died before then from some other cause.

"Here, Nabooru." Sheelia was before her. "You should clean up before you meet with the Council." Nabooru was handed a wet pumice stone, already laden with cleansing oil. Sheelia held in another hand a bowl of cold tektite meat and two small rounds of flat bread. A veritable feast.

Gently scrubbing the stone across her forehead and cheeks, Nabooru asked, "That's a lot of food. Are you sure you should have taken that much?"

Sheelia grinned. "Ganondorf said we can have double rations a few days ago. You didn't know it, but a few hunting parties came back just before you returned. There were quite a few tektites and leevers about so there's plenty of food. We managed to hold out well over the summer, too. Added to that were all the goods brought from Hyrule. This year should be a feast!"

Nabooru was pleased. Despite all her worries over the last week, it seemed she had done some good in Castletown after all. She stood up and stripped off all her well-worn travel clothes and began running the stone across her bare skin. Sheelia set down the bowl of food and helped Nabooru by gently running the stone across her backside. When finished, Nabooru reached up to her hammock and pulled down a new set of clothes. When she came to the top piece, she frowned. She liked to have it tight across her as bounded breasts were less of a hazard but having it this tight was downright constricting.

"Hmmm. Looks like I'll need to refit this."

Sheelia looked at her inquisitively, then a cheeky grin crossed her face, "Nabooru! Now you're going to confess! How good  _is_  the food in Hyrule? You certainly seemed to have enjoyed it!"

Nabooru blushed. The food certainly did taste wonderful in the capital. Too bad it was marred by the crowded city and unpleasant smells. But that didn't stop her from tasting nearly everything in sight. Thinking on her gluttony, Nabooru was abashed. The money she spent stuffing her face could have been used for the benefit of the tribe. She vowed then and there that if she ever went back to Castletown she would lift more of the delicacies, instead of paying for them.

She licked her lips and said a bit morosely, "It was good. Really good. So good, I can't even describe it." At that last part she grinned and pointedly looked away from Sheelia.

Sheelia's jaw dropped, a bit of drool escaping. But then she heard the bit of giggling coming from Nabooru and snapped out of it. "Oh no! You're not getting out of telling me your adventure to Castletown! I wanna to hear every single detail. Every. Last. One!" And with that she tackled Nabooru, crossing one arm under her armpit and the other curved around her neck, and held her in a hold.

"I will, I will!" Nabooru screeched. She stumbled a bit, but managed to stay upright, even with the other, shorter but thicker girl leaning into her. "For now, I need to eat. I'm starving."

Sheelia relented with an exaggerated sigh. She stepped back and leaned against a wall. Nabooru sat down and picked up the bowl. While she layered the meat on top the bread, she casually asked, "So what are ya doing here anyway? I thought you would be working the glass this time of day?"

Sheelia scoffed a little and said, "Waking you up, of course. I knew there would be no way you would get up on time by yourself. Not with how late you arrived last night."

"Oh," Nabooru said with a mouthful of food, "Well thanks!"

After chewing the rubbery meat for a minute, she then thought to ask, "By the way, what time is it?"

Sheelia looked up to the window and hum-hawed for a few seconds, "Well, if I had to guess, a few minutes past noon?"

Nabooru stared at her, her mouth hanging open. It wasn't a very pretty sight. In a flash she jumped up and was about to run out the door. Sheelia grabbed her hair, and exclaimed, "Wait a sec! You should fix your hair!"

Nabooru grabbed her head and tried protesting. Unfortunately she forgot she had food in her mouth, so she succeeded in choking on the thick meat. While bending over slightly and hacking, Sheelia swiftly unbound her hair, ran a prepared horse-bone comb though it a few times. Just as she was finished, Nabooru straightened and glared at her. She somehow managed to keep most of the food in her mouth, though her cheeks puffed out. 

Unable to contain her giggling, Sheelia sniggered, "You should see yourself! You look like one of those pocket mice!"

Continuing to glare, Nabooru snatched the hair tie back and shoved the curtain out of the way. Sheelia followed her out, albeit much more slowly. She called down the hall to Nabooru's quickly retreating figure, "I loooove you!" then cackled.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

Nabooru swiftly jogged down the halls while tying up her hair. She was careful to not go too fast, so she wouldn't choke on her food, but she didn't want to be any later than she was. Slowing down to a fast walk when the council hall came into view, Nabooru prepared herself. She stiffly swallowed down the last of the hasty meal and desperately wished she had a small cup of water to wash it down. Approaching the guards standing out front and she tentatively asked, "Uh, I was supposed to be here. Has the meeting started already?"

With impassive faces, one rang the nearby bell while the other ducked her head inside. After a moment of low muttering, the guard came back out and said solemnly, "You may enter."

As Nabooru brushed past the guards one of them winked at her and said quietly, "Good luck." Nabooru gave a small, nervous smile in return.

The smile quickly evaporated when she saw who was in the room. Seated in the back was her King, Ganondorf. His presence, as well as his stature, filled the room. He was sitting crossed legged and was dressed in his usual black robes. Before him as a low table. Currently only a few papers and an inkwell were on it.

To his left in the corner were the Twinrova, the cursed Blood Magic users. Nabooru wasn't expecting them. She suddenly wished that the tektite would stop moving around inside her. They were terrifying, with their weird colored skin, noses that were beyond even the typical Gerudo length, and horribly bulbous eyes. Nabooru quickly moved her eyes elsewhere.

She walked between the row of council members, three on both the right and left sides, and kneeled before Ganondorf. She placed her head between her hands and touched it to the floor. This was an important meeting, so showing the upmost respect was required. She slowly lifted back up then moved her whole body to the right and gave a respectful, but not quite as deep, bow to those council members.

The first was Nafufu, a wizened elder who oversaw the production sites of glass, silk, and the mines, which were all essential to their trading. Second was Tammorock, a middle-aged woman with paler skin, who lead the trades. Lastly was Sheebra, a younger council member who was included in the ruling body after the death of the previous agricultural overseer near the end of the civil war.

With a strict nod of approval from Nafufu, Nabooru turned to the left-handed council members. Rubolson was the well-toned and scarred woman who was charged with all military action of the Gerudo. She was a fearsome woman both in battle and in the bar. To her right was Aaroot, the coordinator of the daily activities of the fortress. She was also the resident scholar and profound magic user. And next to her was Heruta, often referred to as "Mother". She was the healer and child-caretaker of the Gerudo. Few really helped her in her duties, unlike the other council members, but Mother Heruta didn't seem to mind. In fact, many secretly suspected Heruta enjoyed the one-on-one time she got to spend with the children who were too old to nurse yet too young to do much work. Nabooru was not at all surprised to see a basket sitting in front of her, the makeshift cradles the Gerudo used.

After completing her respectful bow, Nabooru faced Ganondorf again and waited for his signal to begin. He nodded, so she shifted and sat cross-legged and made doubly sure not to slouch.

Ganondorf began, "Sister Nabooru. The Council was informed of the events that occurred the last day of the Ruvano's troupe's stay in Castletown. We are also very aware of what you found when you were separated from the rest of the troupe. So, we ask you now to provide a whole and truthful explanation of what happened and an accountability of your actions. You may begin."

Nabooru looked down and licked her lips. She  _really_  wished she had a cup of water.

"Tahnra and I had taken a horse from a rebel after we were attacked just outside the eastern entrance. With having two riders and our bags, the horse was unable to outpace the other mounted rebels who chased after us. I told Tahnra to head toward the forest, thinking that the rebels might follow me there, especially if I took the bags with me. I didn't want the insurgents to attack my fellow sisters who are all certainly bearing children. I know they are strong and well-trained, Commander Rubolson," Nabooru hurried to explain when she saw the warrior's face twist in protest, "But I didn't think it necessary for them to face anymore danger than necessary, especially since-"

Here she faltered. She didn't want to admit out loud her failures, especially since her tribe's future depended on her abilities. Swallowing her personal dejection Nabooru continued on, "Especially since I was a failure and was unable to become pregnant. By all accounts, my life is not worth two of my sister's."

A moment of silence hung in the air. Rubolson leaned back a little, having relaxed. Mother Heruta offered a kind smile. Not wanting to dwell on the subject, Nabooru continued with her story.

"I hid at the very edge of the Lost Woods. I knew that one was safe as long as they kept Hyrule Field in their sights. But more insurgents followed me into the woods than I believed they would. They thankfully stopped following Tahnra, who made it safely back to the others, but they hunted me down. One of them managed to stumble across me and when I fought him the others were alerted. After I fought them all off I realized we had moved away from the tree line. Not knowing what else to do but unwilling to give into the forest's deep magic, I wandered. I'm unsure of how long I spent on my own, or how I managed end up where I did. I recall there being another magic. Something that was different from the cursed magic, and... it seemed to beckon me. I ended up stumbling into the grove where the Great Deku Tree resides. At his roots was a gathering of the immortal children, the Kokiri. They were surrounding a woman who was near dead. She was so badly hurt that not even the healing fairies that were around could help her. In her arms was a baby boy. She had just enough strength to tell me his first name before she died; Link.

"After her passing, I picked up the child. He opened his eyes and... when I looked in them, I was..." Nabooru finally paused in her story telling. She tried to find the right word to describe her feelings. She knew she was coming dangerously close to breaking her vow, but she knew that the Council would be hard-pressed to ascertain the truth and why she was so insistent in raising the boy. After the moment's hesitation, she decided to explain her first feeling, "Filled with hope."

She turned her head to where Mother Heruta sat, "Something about that boy is special. Even the Great Deku Tree believes so. The Guardian of the Wood even went to far as to bless Link, so he would be safe within the forest and he would never lose his way when in it."

There were a few wide eyes and open mouths at the statement. The Great Deku Tree was more fable than fact to most. And no one had ever obtained a blessing from the sacred tree, at least far as anyone was aware. To have a blessing of protection from a minor deity was rare but being able to traverse the Lost Woods without confusion was unheard of.

Hurrying before she could be interrupted, Nabooru resumed. "I asked the Great Deku Tree what would happen to the boy. He said that Link would live in the forest until ...he was old enough to leave. I... was overcome with feelings for him so I suggested that I take him to be raised Gerudo. The Great Deku Tree declined. But in the moment of our argument a presence overcame us both." Nabooru became still as she recalled the feelings of humility that passed over at that moment, as well as an explainable joy. The Council members didn't miss the far-away look that overcame the young woman as she explained this part of the tale.

"After I was sufficiently humbled, and the Deku Tree was quiet for a long while, he finally spoke. He changed his mind and said that I should take Link and raise him according to the decrees of the Goddess Hylia. That he  _should_  be raised Gerudo. I was asked to vow that I would protect him and... and help him walk the path of the Goddesses.

"I thanked the Great Deku Tree and left shortly thereafter, carrying Link away. Traveling out of the woods was far less trouble and significantly shorter this time. I believe this was the Great Deku Tree's blessing in action. We then soon met up with the other Gerudo who were preparing to leave Lon-lon ranch."

Nabooru took a deep sigh and somewhat sheepishly ended with, "That is what happened."

An overwhelming silence filled the stone room. Nabooru tried to not fidget as the Council stared at her. There were varying degrees of skepticism, awe, and shock. No one wanted to break the silence after that tale. No one but the baby, that is. He had been silent for most of the meeting but a moment after Nabooru finished speaking he began to gurgle. It was as if he wanted to affirm everything she had said. Or at least that's what Nabooru fancied, to make herself feel better about the whole situation.

Mother Heruta gently picked up the boy. One reason was to prevent him from crying out. The other was so that the council members to get another good look at him.

"Hmph," one of the witches grumbled. Nabooru could never remember which witch was which. "A  _Hylian_. And  _male_  to boot."

"Ganondorf. He's a scourge. Get rid of him." The other witch demanded in a clipped tone.

Some of the council members bristled, namely Heruta and Rubolson. Nabooru just sat there flabbergasted. Before things could get out of hand, Ganondorf turned toward the twins.

"Twinrova," he called them by their self-designated title, "I will not allow for the senseless murder of anyone. Especially an innocent baby. The boy's fate is not for you to decide. You are not to interfere with the proceedings."

The witches were taken aback by the King's words. In response to the reprimand they crossed their arms in unison and scowled. Nabooru couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. With the King putting the witches in their place it made her feel much better about the situation. She even felt a little smug.

"Mother Heruta, what is the boy's condition?" Ganondorf asked formally. He was already somewhat aware but wanted the rest of the council informed.

Heruta nodded. She had Link in her lap and he was busy teething a silver bracelet she had given him. "He's a healthy, fat baby for the most part. From what I understand he was without food for more than a day. This should be a problem, but he seems to have mostly recovered already which is surprising. He seems to be very strong despite what appears to be a soft upbringing. I expect him to be fully recovered two days from now with consistent care."

Ganondorf nodded slowly. "And how old do you believe him to be?"

"Well, judging by his size and how well he's teething, just past six months old. He was probably born in the middle of spring."

He nodded again, "Thank you Mother Heruta." He turned toward the rest of the council and said, "We have heard from Nabooru her story. Earlier, we heard troupe leader Ruvano's report, as well as her concerns."

Nabooru's throat constricted. She was a little rattled when she heard Ruvano had already made her case. That didn't bode well for her or the boy.

"We," King Ganondorf moved on, "now have a decision to make; What do we do with the boy? Do we keep him here in the Fortress and raise him as Gerudo and possibly anger and dismantle relations with the Hyrule Monarchy? Or do we send him back to Hyrule despite the confirmation of a minor deity, as testified by our sister Nabooru?"

Nabooru wanted to speak up and say that to take Link back to Hyrule would anger not just the Great Deku Tree, but the Golden Goddesses themselves. But she didn't know how to explain that without revealing Link's great destiny, whatever that was. So, she decided to go another route. She bowed low and asked, "May I speak?"

Nabooru waited for Ganondorf to allow her to talk. She knew the Council was a stickler for properly conducted meetings, but she hoped she could say her piece before others began their bickering. Sensing her need to explain herself further, Ganondorf graciously agreed.

Nabooru sat up and looked to both the left and right as she spoke. Surprisingly, her voice didn't waver with her pleading. "I firmly believe that Link will prove to be a guide to a better life for the Tribe. It was no mere coincidence that I found my way through the Lost Woods at the exact moment of his mother's passing. The Great Deku Tree said that our fates are intertwined. How it is, I do not know, but I do know that we have an opportunity here unlike any other before. So I beg of the council to  _please_ , let us raise him as Gerudo. Much good will come of it. I know it."

The council looked at her with blank faces. Tammorock was the first to break the silence.

"Nabooru. I am uncertain you understand what this means in regard to relations with Hyrule. We've just begun stating our intentions to become a provincial-state. If they hear that we are keeping a Hylian boy in the valley they could come up with any number of reasons to prevent the process from happening. Or boycott our glass trade. Or bar us from their towns and cities. They are irrational when it comes to Hylian-Gerudo relations in the first place. Add to that their ferocity in protecting their children. How would you go about explaining to the nobility that you  _just happened_  to find the child mysteriously after wandering a place that few, if any, survive? And on the  _same night_  a troupe of Gerudo fled during an attack on the castle. Hmmm? What is your answer?"

Nabooru could do nothing. She didn't have an answer. After spending weeks in the capital she understood the irrationality of Hyrule. And having her actions be re-iterated by someone else made her realize how unbelievable her story really was. But what could she do besides stand behind the truth?

She swallowed and looked to the stone floor. "I-" She whispered, "I don't have an answer."

The council members looked at one another. A variety of emotions, questions, answers, and options passed between them, silently. The tense moment was broken again by Link. He let out a terrifying scream after dropping the silver bracelet.

Though less shocking was the noise, Ganondorf was startled by the wave of power that came from the boy. Aaroot nearly jumped out of her seat and Nabooru spun toward the baby. The witches raised up their arms in defense of an invisible threat. Calmly, Heruta picked up the bracelet and gave it back to Link. He immediately calmed down and the power with it.

Aaroot settled back down and gazed at the boy, fascination written all over her face. Nabooru still faced him, worry spilling off her. And the witches, unseen by others in the room, leaned forward, their eyes narrowing. They exchanged a look and imperceptibly picked up their brooms.

In a flash they shot across the room and snatched Link out of Heruta's lap. The room exploded into commotion. The witches flew to the opposite corner. One held the boy while the other placed her hands over his head. They started chanting in unison. Link started screaming. His cries were not the normal cries of a baby, but pained shrieks that made Nabooru sick with fear and anger. Heruta stood up quickly with Aaroot and Rubolson following. The other council members stayed seated, but they also turned toward the witches, either aghast or angry. 

Nabooru scrambled from her position on the ground and shouted, "What are you doing!?"

This all happened within a matter of seconds. Hearing the commotion the guards the entered the room and took stock of the situation. They looked to Ganondorf for their next action. He was sitting straight with his eyes narrowed. He hadn't moved an inch. His calm façade was the only anchor in this storm set loose in the council hall.

Slowly, he extended his hand and said in a low and powerfully resonating voice, "Twinrova. Stop."

By this point, their chanting was louder. They either didn't hear him or they chose to ignore him. He suspected it was the latter. Before Nabooru had taken two steps Ganondorf moved his hands in a swirling pattern. Solid shadows leapt from the dark corner where the witches were, binding them and curling around their mouths. Nabooru wasted no time. She ran forward and ripped Link out of their hands.

Once she had backed away and stood near Heruta did she take her eyes off the witches. She looked down at the crying baby with Heruta peering over her shoulder. Link seemed OK... for the most part. He was still crying but that was to be expected. But there was this light green dust that covered him. Nabooru moved to wipe it away, a little panicked with all that had happened, but Aaroot grabbed her hand. The wise elder had sensed her intentions and intervened.

"Don't. That's the boy's magical power in physical form. The witches were trying to siphon it out of him."

Nabooru stared at her in shock, with her jaw dropped and her eyes wide. This was worse than her failure at Castletown. Far, far worse.

Aaroot took this opportunity to carefully move the boy into her arms. Holding him firmly she looked over at Ganondorf, who was still sitting there, calm as ever. He slowly let his hand drop once he confirmed that the boy was safe. The shadows dispersed. With a signal the guards stiffened and lowered their spears toward the witches, who had fallen to the ground. Ganondorf ignored them for now and spoke to Aaroot.

"Well, this was unexpected. Can you do anything about his magic, Aaroot?"

She shook her head and looked rather remorseful. Her gold-flecked eyes, though usually cold and calculating, were currently flickering over the boy in an effort to find hope. The examination was bleak. "There's not much to be done. This is high-tier Blood Magic and this spell was only developed to pull magic out. It would be difficult to try and put it back. There's a high possibility I could end up doing more damage. I'm sorry, but it looks like about a third of his natural magic is gone."

Ganondorf crossed his arms and looked to the witches. They were sitting up by now and were glaring at Nabooru.

"Yes. We tried taking it out of him."

"He's an unusual boy."

"Unlike most Hylians,"

"who have blue magic,"

"his is green."

"What is worse is that,"

"he has high-levels of magic."

Aaroot glared at them and spit, " _Had_  high-level magic. He's an average now."

The witches only smiled wickedly.

"He was a danger,"

"that had to be taken care of."

At this insult Ganondorf finally stood up. His golden eyes flashed in aggravation and his hands fisted in frustration. The shadows stretched and undulated all around the edges of the room. The pressure from the power steadily grew as he slowly stalked toward the witches.

He snarled, though it was surprisingly quiet and controlled, a verification of how angry he was, "Twinrova!  _I_  am the King. You are to obey  _me_ , as is  _my birthright_. I allowed you sit in on the meeting and gave you a direct order to not interfere with the proceedings. Your actions are a great offence to me and the Council. I am charged with the protection and welfare of the Gerudo. But unlike the other elders you do not trust me to make the best decisions and so have taken matters into your own hands. You have hurt an innocent child."

Everyone backed away from him. The power of the King was suffocating. Surprisingly the witches, who were now groveling, exchanged smirks. Something about their King's actions pleased them. No one knew why. To every other Gerudo, angering the King was only second to disappointing him.

Growing ever more enraged at their insolence Ganondorf clenched his hands and his voice grew icy. "It was my invitation that allowed you esteemed elders to be in this meeting. So, it falls on my shoulders to rectify the situation."

The witches now shared uneasy glances.

"The boy will stay. To send him back to Hyrule now would only shame the Gerudo. I would do the same to you, to take away your magic, but I know that I am unable to do so. So this is my decree. You are not allowed onto the grounds of the Gerudo Fortress for as long as the boy is here. Stay in your desert encampment. You are not allowed to be part of the Council's meetings again."

The witches began protesting. Their squawking filled the air and their strange Blood Magic began pulsating erratically between them. Neither one was young or old, sickly or healthy but a mutated mix. It was revolting. Unwilling to hear their complaints, Ganondorf wrapped the shadows around them again and said, "You are dismissed," and threw them out the door.


	7. His Name is Link

**A/N: I’m not the greatest at creating magic systems, so I’m going to clarify a few things here: There are three bodies of magic that are related to the Golden Goddesses. They are Red, Blue, and Green. Within each body of magic there are varying ‘levels’ categorized as low, medium, and high.**

**In the last chapter I made it sound like Green magic is better than Blue magic and that Link had magic that was powerful simply because it was Green. Link’s magic is/was both Green _and_ high level, but it is not high level because it was Green. There could be high level Red or Blue magic or conversely low level Green.**

**There’s also more to magic, like species magic or the manipulation of elements, but those will be clarified down the road.**

**Make sense? I hope so. I’m still working out the kinks in my magic system. Can you tell?**

**And BIG shout-out to my husband who wrote up the chant in this chapter. He took my convoluted scribbles and made them into something chant-y-er. So I’m very grateful to him. 😊 And to all my readers who put up with my ramblings. Thanks!**

**-TFC**

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

**Time’s Saga**

**First Life: Prince of Power**

_“Now focus Link. You’ll be quizzed on this tomorrow. There are three types of magic in this world; natural magic, magical items, and Deity magic. Natural magic is what you are born with, and it is often categorized according to an individuals’ inherient color that is associated with a Goddess. Natural magic is split into three types; low, mid, and high level. Most Gerudo have low level magic though a few rare exceptions exist. And Hylians can range from low-levels in peasants, to mid and even high levels in nobility and royalty.”_

**Chapter 7: His Name is Link**

The room was deathly silent. After a moment of staring at the doorway, the curtain fluttering, Ganondorf turned back to Aaroot.

“I know that you are lacking the Blood Magic spell required, but I do believe you have the capability to transfer the physical magic into an item? It won’t be the same, but he should still be allowed to retain some of his power.”

Aaroot nodded vigorously, then paused, “Creating a magical item is usually done only by an experienced individual who has kept the item with them for a long time. I am unsure how well this will work for a baby. Especially one that has been taken from his home and so all his material possessions are gone.”

Ganondorf suddenly looked tired and waved his hand lazily. “Try your best. For now, this meeting is adjourned.”

He continued to stand there, a glazed look coming over him. Finally, Aaroot moved to leave. Nabooru followed close behind.

She walked with her down the hall to Aaroot’s room. Council members, barring Heruta who took care of the children, were privileged to have their own rooms. It was a short walk, and Nabooru was grateful that no sign of the witches could be seen.

She asked, “Is there anything I can do to help?”

Aaroot frowned and said, “Well, did you happen to pick up anything that was with the boy when you found him? Preferably something sturdy and that will last a long time?”

Nabooru thought for a moment then suddenly exclaimed, “Yes! An ocarina. It was given to me by one of the Kokiri. It’s made from the wood of the Great Deku Tree, so it should have magical properties, right?”

Aaroot nodded and said, “That should work. Go get it.”

Not needing to be told twice Nabooru ran off down the hall. She almost crashed into Mother Heruta who had followed them at a much slower pace. Giving a quick apology Nabooru sped around the corner. When she got to her room Nabooru rummaged through her hammock but didn’t find her personal sackcloth. Confused, she kicked at the blankets and mats on the floor, but it wasn’t there either. Dumbfounded, she tried remembering what she did with it the night before. Recalling that she was too tired to take care of her own horse the young woman realized that the sisters who came to help probably unloaded her sackcloth, and therefore the ocarina, with all the other goods.

She set off for the storage rooms. Throwing each curtain back, Nabooru searched for any out-of-place sack. She found one of her sisters cataloging and re-organizing the items brought back last night.

“Hirena, do ya know what happened with my personal sack? It should’a came in with the other things that were unloaded last night.”

The girl, just two years younger than Nabooru was startled and dropped her ink brush. “Oh, Nabooru! It’s you! I didn’t hear you.”

Nabooru nodded and stepped into the room. “Sorry about that. But I’m in a hurry. I need something from my sack right now so do ya know where it is?”

Hirena scrunched her eyebrows, thinking. “I believe I saw it earlier. I can’t remember where I put it though.”

She started wandering through the large room, searching the hammocks or large pots that were sitting on the ground. She stared up conversationally, “Ya know, your troupe certainly brought back a lot of goods. I’ve been in here all morning cataloging everything. Not that I’m complaining! It amazing that you managed to bring so much back, especially considering how quickly ya had to leave Castletown.”

Nabooru just hummed, not really paying attention to her sister’s ramblings. Rather carelessly, she began dumping bags of rupees, stacks of jewelry, and fine clothing everywhere in her search. Noticing the mess, Herina intervened, “Hey, what are you doing? I spent all morning organizing that!”

“Just find my sack! It’s an emergency.” Nabooru snapped. She didn’t have time to deal with Hirena’s chatter.

With a displeased frown, Hirena calmly said, “That may be true, but rampaging like a crazy horse won’t make things go faster.”

“Just find it!” Nabooru’s voiced cracked. She paused in her search to rub her sore throat. The stress she had been carrying was affecting her. This wasn’t how she imagined her homecoming to be like. Not at all. And this wasn’t fair to Hirena. She knew that. The poor girl was just doing her job, and Nabooru just waltzed in demanding something that she should have been responsible for in the first place. No. Nothing was going right at all.

“Oh! Here it is!” Hirena triumphantly help up Nabooru’s colorful sack. It was lovingly weaved and had the embroidered markings of Nabooru’s personal colors; pink, red, and blue.

Excited, Nabooru grabbed it, rummaged inside, then pulled out the ocarina. With a broad smile she said, “Thank you, Hirena!” She then dropped the bag and gave a hasty, “Sorry, gotta go!”

Bewildered, Hirena picked up the bag and mumbled, “Ok, well, if you want your bag back, Nabooru, it’ll be right here.” But she was talking to nothing but lonely treasures scattered about the room.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

Nabooru raced back through the hallways, passing only a few other sisters. They tried calling out to her, but she didn’t heed them. She arrived at Aaroot’s room and was about to ring the small bell attached to the frame of the doorway, but Heruta pushed the curtain aside.

“Come now. We need that ocarina.”

Nabooru didn’t waste time replying and quickly moved toward Aaroot. She was kneeling on the ground with her bedding and personal belongings having been shoved to the side. A few inches above her outstretched hand was Link, who was still crying. A reddish glow encased him. Nabooru knelt beside them both and offered the wooden ocarina. Aaroot slowly reached one-handed for it, still concentrating on the boy beneath her.

“Part of the Blood Magic’s curse is to dispel the Green Magic. I’m using my own to encase it around him, to help preserve whatever is left.” The scholar added, to help ease Nabooru’s worry.

Nabooru nodded. This kind of magic was over her head, but she trusted Aaroot to do her best. Heruta settled down opposite of her and stretched her arms out. A second red barrier formed over the first. “I can keep a barrier up for a few minutes. Aaroot, do what you need to do. Nabooru, do exactly as she tells you.”

Nabooru straightened her shoulders and looked directly at Aaroot. The older woman smiled and said, “Alright. Tell me his name and the person who gave him the ocarina.”

“His name is Link. And his friend, the Kokiri girl, Saria gave him the wooden ocarina.”

Aaroot nodded and said, “I need you to hold onto the ocarina with me, match your magical power to mine and chant with me. If you can’t say the words, just be sure to keep the tempo.”

Nabooru placed one hand over the ocarina and together they started moving the ocarina in a slow swing above Link. They started high above his head, dipped low to almost touch his belly, then went back up near his curled toes. Then they went back, each firmly and gently grasping the instrument and moving in a perfect rhythm. Aaroot began lightly tapping with her other hand on the ocarina, and Nabooru followed suit. A slow chanting passed Aaroot’s lips and Nabooru listened carefully, trying not to stumble over the words.

_Magic power, Wind of the Goddess,_

_Guide this power into the vessel._

_An earthly vessel, an Ocarina,_

_Given by friend Saria._

_Magic Power, Blessed Desert Goddess,_

_Use this magic, soon to be lost,_

_Add to that of the Great Deku Tree,_

_From which this vessel is made._

_Magic Power, Power of Din_

_Fill this vessel. Reside in this vessel._

_His power to be retained, preserved_

_That it may be used when Link needs you._

This chanting continued for many long minutes, repeating over and over. Nabooru finally gained enough confidence to say the words with Aaroot. She tried matching Aaroot’s power, which she could sense flowing between her and the ocarina. Slowly, the greenish powder that had covered Link began to rise in small particles. When it got close to the ocarina, they gave small flashes of bright green light, then puffed out of existence. When the last of the particles were done flashing, they finished their chanting and swinging. Aaroot then brought the ocarina close to her nose to squint at it.

While she examined their work, the other elder, Heruta, released the barrier and picked up Link. He was still crying, but it was closer to a whimper than anything. She poked and prodded him, making sure that the witches didn’t do anything else to him. Nabooru just anxiously flittered her gaze between the two. Aaroot was the first to speak.

“Well, some of his power managed to be retained. Not as much as I had hoped though. But it was done well, considering the hastiness of this situation. You did well, Nabooru.”

Nabooru couldn’t help but allow a large smile to cross her face. They then both turned to Heruta, who kept prodding the poor child. Finally, she sighed and said, “Well, I believe he’s physically OK. I’m unsure of how he’s doing mentally. Having magic ripped out can cause some to go insane.” Nabooru’s eyes opened wide. A sense of rage filled her, as well as a sense of loss and disappointment in herself. The boy hadn’t even been in the Fortress for a _day_ , and she already failed to protect him.

Sensing her anger at both the witches and herself, Mother Heruta placed a hand on Nabooru’s shoulder and looked at her intently. “Nabooru. This wasn’t your fault. The Twinrova acted on their own. Between their fast, unexpected action, and their powerful casting, there wasn’t much to be done. If anyone is to be blamed, it is me. I had the boy in my hands, but I allowed him to be taken so easily. You acted quickly and protected him as best you could. So do not blame yourself for what happened.

“And besides. He is young. He can adapt. If he doesn’t adapt, he’s not worthy to be considered Gerudo.” Here, Mother Heruta smiled, “But he will adapt. I believe you. I think this boy is special. He will be a worthy Son of the Desert, though he does not carry Gerudo blood. But if we raise him well he may be able to accomplish whatever it is the Goddesses have planned for him.”

Nabooru reeled back a little and widened her eyes. Did she break her vows already? She swallowed, somewhat worried about the consequences. Mother Heruta and Aaroot just chuckled. It was Aaroot who explained.

“Don’t worry Nabooru. If you’ve taken a vow of silence, rest assured you haven’t broken it. You were ordered by your King to answer truthfully, which you did. But we’ve lived long enough to put the pieces of your story together. A child with an enormous amount of magical power, found in the Lost Woods, and was given a blessing by the Great Deku Tree. And you, with your sensitivity in reading another’s spirit, felt something from him. You’re not one to make up wild stories. At least not ones with consequences that could affect the tribe.” Aaroot gave her a knowing look. Nabooru just blushed. There were quite a few tales she enjoyed telling when a hunt was finished, but those of course were simple boastings. She would never do anything this outrageous without a good reason.

“So this particular adventure you had is something extraordinary. It’s likely that this was planned out by the Goddesses. …Of course, we’re just two old woman who could be caught up in their own delusions as well.”

This last part was added when Aaroot saw how uncomfortable Nabooru was. The young woman was rubbing her fingers absentmindedly. Had she really been that open in revealing his destiny? Perhaps she could have been a little more vague on some of the details. Well, there wasn’t much to be done about it now. Nabooru just looked at her hands and said nothing.

“Well, I should go back to the nursery. I’ve been gone longer than I intended.” Mother Heruta stood with Link in her arms, her bones creaking.

Aaroot nodded. “I have some work I need to finish. But Nabooru, you should rest. Using that much magical energy is draining. And you got back late last night. I’ve allowed those in the troupe to rest for a day, before starting any work. You all did well in Castletown.”

Nabooru blinked. The events over the last several days had totally drained her, but her bitter experience in the city came rushing back. Tears began forming in the corner of her eyes and she bowed low. “I’m sorry. I failed to even bed a man, let alone become pregnant. I’ve failed the tribe this year. I’m so- OW!”

She was suddenly smacked over the head by Heruta. Link, his mood apparently improved, giggled in the old woman’s arms.

The woman pursed her lips and stared her down her long nose. “Nabooru. You have not failed our tribe. You may not have become pregnant, but you have still provided us with a child. Even better, _a son_. For that, you should be honored.”

“But, there’s so many problems that have come of it. First the witches. And his magical powers. And what if Hyrule finds out about him, like Tammorock said? They could retaliate and hurt us even more!”

Aaroot crossed her arms and replied, “And let the Council worry about that. We were tentative enough in proceeding with becoming a provincial-state but if they want to make a fuss because we _saved_ one of their own they aren’t worthy of our support. So enough worrying. I know you care for the boy and I know you care for the tribe. Be grateful you can have both. Just wait and see. Your actions will have consequences, but overall, I believe that the boy will greatly help us. It will take some time though, to raise him in our ways.”

“Not too long though. I’ve seen so many young children grow faster than you might believe,” Mother Heruta sagely added. She was bouncing Link in her arms and he seemed to be quite enjoying it. Reassured, Nabooru smiled. The elders were certainly wise.

Aaroot turned to look at the boy. Currently he was fascinated by his own fist. Somewhat distantly she asked, “So his name is Link?”

Nabooru nodded in the affirmative.

Smiling, Aaroot said, “That’s a good, strong name. Perfect for his future.”


	8. Six Years Later

**Time’s Saga**

**First Life: Prince of Power**

_“Yes, you’re going to have a big day tomorrow, so you should sleep now. Yes, you’ll be going on an adventure for the next several days so prepare yourselves. You little dew-drops are certainly growing quickly.”_

**Chapter 8: Six Years Later**

“Link, get up! Hey, c'mon!” The little Gerudo was incessantly pushing on her brother. She had been doing this for only a few minutes but to her it felt like an eternity. Her dramatics only got worse. “My destiny is depending on us being at the…uh, the _place_ … on… _time_! Do I really have to depend on you? Get UP!”

Unable to move him Riju opted to start tugging his hair. This finally garnered the reaction she was hoping for. The six-year-old boy finally sat up after swatting away her hands. Link glared at her.

Smug, the red-headed girl picked up her stuffed animal. No one was entirely sure what it was supposed to be. It just looked like a patchworked pillow, but Riju had somehow gotten ahold of some buttons and demanded Mother Heruta sew them on along with some extra cloth at what was apparently the bottom. It was a monstrosity that she absolutely adored.

Link yawned and rubbed his eyes. He saw his other two age-mates rolling up their sleeping mats or braiding their hair. Shaking his head, he quickly followed suit. Riju was babbling the whole time about how much fun they were going to have today. Listening to her talk was filling all of them with unbridled excitement.

They were finally going out with an older sister to be tested for a job. They had been told for weeks that they would be starting their training to become “real” Gerudo. Part of that was taking on some smaller duties that would hopefully morph into their life.

Link had just finished rolling his mat to the side of the bedroom when Mother Heruta brushed back the curtain. “Well, it’s good to see you’re all excited for today! Alright, line up!” The wizened woman chuckled seeing their grinning faces.

“Oh, you braided your hair, Dalia. You did a good job too.” The littlest of the group beamed, but then quickly looked away with a sudden spell of shyness.

Pearle couldn’t help but bounce on her toes. Her and Riju constantly got into trouble, but they got out of it just as quick. “Hmmm, anxious as ever, are we Pearle? Be sure to listen to your older sister today and don’t run off on your own.” She got a stern warning but a soft pat on the head.

When she got to Riju, Mother Heruta sighed. “You know, Riju, ya can’t take that with you.”

Riju’s face fell and she cuddled her stuffed animal closer. She began to quiver her lip and tears were at the corners of her eyes. Mother Heruta bent down and quietly spoke to Riju. “That won’t work for me, young lady. Keep it here, where it will be safe. You don’t want to lose it during your trip today.” She knew the little girl was deeply devoted to the toy, but she also knew the little girl was growing up. Soon she would have no time to play with toys.

Still pouting, Riju turned around and neatly tucked her toy under a blanket. She wasn’t happy about it and was already plotting how to sneak it out of the room. Satisfied with her actions, Mother Heruta stood up properly. She then shuffled over to Link, who was just grinning at her.

“Hmmm,” She hummed, which scared Link. Somehow, he knew something wasn’t quite right. “Link,” His eyes got wide and fearful, “You forgot to brush your hair.”

He quickly covered the top of his head with his arms and hands. He _hated_ brushing his hair, so he always conveniently forgot to do it. But Mother Heruta always caught him, despite how ancient and slow she appeared.

“Come now, Link. Ya know better than to hide your hair.” Mother Heruta sat down and patted her lap. Link resisted for a minute but then gave up when Riju pushed him.

“Hurry up! I don’t wanna to be late!” She insisted.

“Riju, we don’t push! Dalia, hand me a comb please?”

Dalia was quick to deliver as she was always eager to please. Mother Heruta smiled and said, “Well, while I brush out Link’s hair, why don’t we listen to a story?”

“Yeah!” Link shouted, his sisters joining in.

“Very well. Have I told you the tale of the Impatient Monkey? Well, it goes like this…”

**....................**

_“Once there was a young monkey who lived in the forests far to the east. He was an energetic little creature who was always dashing about in the tree tops. His grandma always warned him to slow down and look where he was going._

_“‘But I don’t want to slow down!’ the little monkey cried as he flipped through the air. He chased his friends up and down the trees. Soon, he was known as the fastest monkey in all the forest. And he became the proudest monkey because of it._

_“As he was leaping and bounding through the bright green leaves, he would sing, ‘I am the fastest. I am the best! No one can beat me, I’m the greatest of all!’_

_“One day, as the forest echoed this noise, the monkey almost squashed a poor chameleon who was slowly walking across a fat branch. Angered, the young monkey demanded, ‘Move out of my way! You stopped my amazing speed!’_

_“The patient chameleon took her time to respond, ‘You know. It’s not always about speed. Sometimes you should wait and listen to the wind before you go bounding through the trees.’_

_“The little monkey scoffed. ‘Why should I wait for the wind? I am faster than it!’_

_“The wise chameleon then decided to teach the foolish young monkey an important lesson. ‘If that is true, then prove it to me. Climb to the highest branches up there, to where they are thin and bend with your weight. Then leap across to the next tree before the wind can knock you down.’_

_“The little monkey quickly scampered up the tree and before the chameleon could follow, he jumped off the branch. But before he could reach the other side the wind gusted through the trees and swayed the little branches just out of reach._

_“Down, down, down, fell the monkey. He let out a terrifying screech. He managed to land on a fat branch before he hit the ground. Now angry that he failed, the monkey scrambled back up the tree. He outran the chameleon, who only chuckled as he flew by. The prideful monkey leapt again, but again the wind blew the branches just out of reach and he fell._

_“By the third time, the chameleon had reached the top. The monkey, not wanting to fail this simple task, ran past the chameleon and jumped again. The chameleon kept one eye on the falling monkey and another on the swaying branches._

_“She called down, ‘I told you! You should wait and listen to the wind. Patience is needed if you want to cross.’_

_“The monkey scrambled back up, but before he could try again, the chameleon stopped him. ‘Wait… and watch me.’_

_“The monkey grumbled and sat on the trembling branch. Slowly, ever so slowly, the chameleon stepped lightly onto the branch. She swayed and bucked as the wind gusted and blew. Just as she was at the end of the branch, tipping precariously downward, she put out a hand, as if to grab the air. The monkey was afraid she would fall off the tiny branch._

_“‘What are you doing?’ he asked. ‘You will fall because there is nothing to grab!’_

_“‘I told you. Patience is needed to cross this branch.’ She called back._

_“All of a sudden a huge gust of wind blew, one that almost knocked the monkey off his own branch. But he saw, and he was amazed._

_“The chameleon was bobbing wildly in the wind, with not even a glint of fear in her rapidly moving eyes. All of a sudden, a branch of the opposite tree swung close and she snatched it. She was now stretched across two branches, and when the wind died down, she calmly walked to the other side._

_“Once she reached the other tree’s trunk, she turned and called back to the dumbfounded monkey, ‘That is how one crosses the highest treetops without falling. Sometimes you must be patient and wait for circumstances to change before you take the next step. You must hold tight to what you have but be prepared to make a sudden move when the wind blows in your favor.’_

_“And that is the tale of the Impatient Monkey.”_

**....................**

Link almost forgot his hair was being brushed. He loved Mother Heruta’s stories. She was always so much fun to listen to. Near the end of the tale Heruta took out a hair tie and pulled his hair up near the top of his head.

Once he looked like a proper porcupine she said, “And that, my children, is why we must listen to our elders’ counsel. They know better than we do. So,” she gathered all the children into a tight hug, “are you going to listen to your elder sister today?”

Giggling, all the children answered in the affirmative. With one last big group hug, Mother Heruta let them go. Link jumped off her lap and laughingly chased his sisters out the door. Heruta slowly got up and smiled.

“How fast you grow. It seems like last week you were only a baby,” she whispered to the air.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

Link weaved with his sisters around the adults toward the communal dining room. They entered the large room that was open to the outside by not only two doors but also three large windows. Link loved the room partly because it was so bright and partly because it smelled so good. He stood quietly behind his age-mates, while Riju and Pearle shifted from foot to foot. Once they were passed their bowls of leever meat and a round of bread, Riju shot off to find an empty area to eat at. Link took Dalia’s hand and they followed behind at a slower pace.

They sat on a small carpet, Riju being torn between talking and eating quickly. “Do you think…” She ripped a thick piece of leever meat with her teeth, “that we’ll see the…” she swallowed, “glass… uhh..” She thought for a moment, trying to remember the name.

“Glass blowfers?” Pearle added through a mouthful of bread.

“Yeah, that!” Riju spat.

“Riju, mind your manners!” A woman scolded with hands on her hips.

Link looked up to see who it was that spoke. It was Lorn; Dalia’s birthmother. As the only surviving birthmother of the group of four children, she often hovered around them. Of course Pearle had an older blood-sister, but she was often kept busy tracking trades. Riju and Link, on the other hand, had no surviving blood-members. That was normal enough, the tribe was used to taking care of orphans.

Link, however, was an anomaly. He knew it from the way the adults looked at him. They either seemed to be in awe of him or feared him and he wasn’t entirely sure why. He knew he was different. Light skin, blue eyes, and blonde hair certainly stuck out in the sea of dark skin and bright red hair. But he felt like the adults were always watching him, and not like the other children. More like there was an expectation; like they had asked him to help sweep the floors and he hadn’t done it yet.

Thankfully, Nabooru was there to help chase the stares away. He always felt the most comfortable around her. Her voice was always light and joking. She would ruffle his hair as she passed and always, _always_ , listened to his answer when she asked, “What’s up, Kid?”. He knew his story well, because she would often stop by the nursery to check up on him and tell about the day she found him. And she would always end it with, “And I’ve never regretted that decision. And I never will.”.

“And how are you today, Link?” Lorn asked. She sat down with Dalia leaning against her.

Link swallowed the last of his breakfast and chirped, “Good!”

“You’re going out today, right? To visit some of the production sites?”

Riju bounced up, “Yeah, yeah! I’m really, really excited! I really want to see the glass blofers!”

“Glass _blowers_ ,” Lorn chuckled. “Well, I hope you learn a lot today. We each have an important role to play in the tribe.”

Link just nodded. There it was again. That expectation.

“Riju, you should finish your breakfast. The others are waiting for you.” Lorn gently reminded. Typical Riju had spent most of her time talking, instead of eating.

Gasping, Riju quickly stuffed her face with the last of the bread and meat. Lorn disapproved, but Riju ignored her and ran off to place her empty dish next to the kitchen. Link and Pearle quickly followed her example, but Dalia was a little slower. She didn’t want to leave her mother’s side. Standing up, Lorn pulled Dalia up and pushed her towards the group.

All together now, Riju led the way. They exited out one of the doors and into the bright sunlight. Riju immediately turned left, but Link stopped. “Uh, Riju. We’re suppos’ta meet at the gate.”

Riju paused. Truthfully, she had forgotten where they were supposed to go, but she didn’t want to look like a fool. Red faced, she turned around and pouted, “Well, if ya knew that, why didn’t _you_ lead the way?”

Link didn’t have a response. He just shrugged and started walking. The others followed, though Riju was a bit slower. Once at the gate, Link stopped. The guards were there, but he didn’t see who was supposed to be guiding them around today. None of them were particularly friendly to children. And perhaps that was because they had to keep a sharp eye out for troublemakers, two of which were hovering at Link’s side.

“Up here!”

The children looked up and saw Nabooru waving over the edge of the wall. Link grinned and ran toward the stairs, the three girls close behind. Once they were at the top, they _ouh_ ’d and _aw_ ’d. Truthfully, they had been this high before, on the roofs of the fortress. But this was different. They were on the gate and could look past it, something they rarely got to see. A steep cliff rose before them, but a lane stretched to either side. They watched as Gerudo left in pairs or groups. Some headed to the right carrying packs and weapons. Others went left mostly carrying jars or bags, some of them filled.

“So, Kiddos, tell me; what’s at the end of the right road?”

“Oh, oh, I know!” Riju bounced in place.

Nabooru grinned and said, “OK, little lady, speak up!”

“The desert!”

“Good,” Nabooru nodded. “Now someone else answer. Why are those sisters going to the desert?” She pointed to a group of six women. Two of them were older and leading the way. Link frowned. He knew he should remember an important reason to go into the desert.

Pearle answered this time with her own question, “Are they going to the Colossus?”

“That’s correct.”

Link suddenly remembered. Sixteen-year-olds underwent the Rite of Passage. It marked their entrance into adulthood.

“Oh, it’s the rite offff …,” Riju trailed off, forgetting the word.

“Passage,” Link filled in.

“Good job you two.” Nabooru was pleased. “The Colossus is a sacred place to our people. It’s where some of our sisters go to pray for strength from the Desert Goddess. You should only go there when escorted by someone who knows the temple. It’s a labyrinth, and maneuvering it is part of your Rite of Passage. It’s vital that you complete it when you come of age, because each of you are important to the Tribe.”

Nabooru knelt down to be at eye level with them. “You only have ten years to prepare for that day. I know it seems like a long time for you right now, but believe me,” she looked into each child’s eye, making sure she had their sole attention. “Those years are going to be gone sooner than you think. You need to devote yourself to learning all you can. You want to help your sisters live better lives, don’t ya?”

They were slow to start, but they all shook their heads yes. They didn’t quite understand the purpose of the question. It was obvious. Everyone in the tribe helped everyone.

Satisfied with their answers, Nabooru stood up with a smile. “Well, then. Let’s get started!”

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

**A/N: Despite the title, this is technically five and a half years later from the last chapter. That chapter was end of summer/ beginning of fall. It’s now spring. Link is now (approximately) six years old. Timing of events is very important in this series. So keep that in mind, and if something isn’t clear enough, give me a shout-out. And I’m a sucker for folklore, so a few more homespun tales will make their way into this story. If you liked it, please say so. It really makes my day. Thanks!**

**-The Friendly Critiquer**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Despite the title, this is technically five and a half years later from the last chapter. That chapter was end of summer/ beginning of fall. It’s now spring. Link is now (approximately) six years old. Timing of events is very important in this series. So keep that in mind, and if something isn’t clear enough, give me a shout-out. And I’m a sucker for folklore, so a few more homespun tales will make their way into this story. If you liked it, please say so. It really makes my day. Thanks!  
> -The Friendly Critiquer


	9. The Hunting Grounds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thank you all for your lovely reviews! And I just want to clarify, the song described in here is NOT a song from any of the games. Those will come later.

**Time’s Saga**

**First Life: Prince of Power**

_“She chased the wild molduga through the ever-shifting sands. She followed the sun’s path by day and watched for shadows at night. She was alone, but the Desert Goddess had blessed her. She endured everything the desert could throw at her, until at last she came face to face with the wicked creature that devoured her family.”_

**Chapter 9: The Hunting Grounds**

“It was so cool! It was all bright and red and _glowing_! And then someone else had a long pole and she stared blowing and it got bigger and bigger and then she stopped, and they put it back into the fire and-”

“OK, Riju. I know you’re still excited, but ya need to lay down.” Mother Heruta kindly smiled. Riju was standing in the middle of the room, clutching her stuffed toy. She wouldn’t stop talking about her adventure to the glassblowers.

It had been four days since the children had met Nabooru at the top of the gate. They were told that for the next week they would be going to different places around the valley. Each day, starting early in the morning, they traveled to a production site where Nabooru explained how the Gerudo made all the things they depended on for survival and trade. A sister in charge of the area would then assign the children tasks to keep them entertained and help them understand what kind of work was involved. Then Nabooru would gather them up and take them back to the Fortress before evening.

The first day they went to the stables. The children had visited the horses a lot, so it was somewhat of a disappointment to them. The day ended well though, when each of the children got to ride on a horse by themselves. Riju wanted to race but Nabooru was wise enough to put her on the slowest, oldest horse they had.

The second day found them at the gardens. Though it was spring it was actually harvest time in the desert. Summer was the deadly, starving time of the year. It was when the sun was capable of killing a plant in less than a day. Lorn met them at the low and open caverns, which had stringy brown vines clinging to the walls and a very precious well filled with muddy water. After showing them what ripened hydromelons and maize looked like she let them run around the twisting fields picking the crops for a while. When the children were rounded up for a break Lorn then explained how their Tribe used the foods in nearly every meal. After that they were taken to harvest Pinyon Nuts which were located at the top of another cliff. Link enjoyed this much better than picking hydromelons because he got to climb the short trees to their very tops.

The third day found them helping out in the Fortress. They were shown all the different rooms where the Gerudo stored the traded or stolen goods. The children were familiar with the rooms, since they made great hiding places, but now they understood the importance of what was in those rooms. Nabooru’s good friend, Hirena, played a game with them in which they had to guess how much certain treasures would be worth in rupees. Link was surprised by how much Hylian traders would pay for the carcass of a golden skultua when a bomb bag seemed so much more practical.

Today they had finally gone to the glassblowers. The facilities were located in a cave just above the falls. There was an intricate bellows set up to heat the colored sand. Over the cliff’s edge was a pully system that brought up the water used to cool down the molten glass. Much of the time was spent just watching the glassblowers work. Nabooru didn’t allow them to get anywhere near the bellows, though. And when Pearle dropped a small glass bowl she had been admiring, she didn’t let them near the finished products either. Their work that day was to sort the colored grains of sand and broken glass. The girls found that to be a lot of fun, but when Link got bored he helped with pulling up the water.

Now the day was done. The sun had set long ago and Mother Heruta had tried to settle Riju down. She had left three times to check up on the other children, who were located in other rooms, but every time she passed by their room Riju was up talking.

“But I don’t want to lay down! I want to see the pretty glass again!” Riju whined.

Link groaned and tried pulling his pillow over his long and pointed ears. “Lay down. I’m tired,” he complained. Hauling water turned out to be a lot harder than he anticipated. And listening to Riju babble non-stop for hours was exhausting in itself.

“Riju. You need to sleep. You’ll be going to the hunter’s grounds tomorrow. It’s quite a walk, so rest.”

“But-”

“Just for a little while.” Mother Heruta gently pushed Riju onto the floor and draped the blanket over her again. “Link, would you mind playing a tune? It might help Riju fall asleep.”

He opened one eye. He really didn’t want to get up, but if he could get some peace and quiet he was ready to try anything. Wiggling out from under the blanket, he reached for the clay pot near his head. It was where he stored the few personal belongings he had. One was a wooden ocarina Nabooru had given him last year. She told him to take extra special care of it, so he did. Every couple of days she would stop by and ask him to play.

He loved playing it. It was like he was transported to a whole other world. One that was deep green with trees all around and happy laughter. When he first told Nabooru about those feelings she gave a smile. She told him the ocarina had magic in it and that it was made from the forest deity’s wood. And that someday he might even get to see the Great Deku Tree and thank him.

Link began playing. Unlike most other children who were uncontrolled in their blowing, Link was careful. He measured his breath naturally, finding a slow tempo and low notes to create a wonderfully soothing melody.

Riju, who finally consented to lay down, let out a long yawn. The other two children, who had been riled up by Riju, were settling down as well. Dalia immediately went to sleep with Pearle quickly following. Riju, losing the battle to slumber, fluttered her eyelids and muttered in defiance, “But I still wanna….”

When Link finally came out of his musical trance he found Mother Heruta smiling at him strangely. Unknown to anyone, she uttered a similar phrase to Link that his paternal grandmother said to his blood-mother six years ago. “Thank you, Link. You can sooth any soul with your music.”

Link just blushed and quickly, but carefully, placed his ocarina back into the pot. “Good night, Mother,” he quietly said before drifting off to sleep.

**~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

The next morning found the group trekking through the sands. This was the first time any of the children had entered the sandy hills, so at the beginning they had a lot of fun slipping and sliding. But it quickly became tedious so Pearle and Riju had taken up teasing the adults by taking turns asking, “How much farther?”

Besides Nabooru there was Buliara, Riju’s self-appointed guardian after her mother’s untimely death, and three other warriors who were tasked with escorting the children to the Hunting Grounds. The campsite was where the warriors dropped off their kills and rested up before heading out into the wilderness again. The tightly packed group trudged through the hot sands and all the adults had their weapons out. It wasn’t likely that a leever or other dangerous creature would attack but no risks would be taken when it came to protecting the future of the tribe.

They were closing in on two tall flags, the red worn material hanging languidly in the stifling stillness. With the goal in sight the group hurried a little faster. Once they crested a particularly tall dune, Nabooru whistled, high and clear, to alert anyone at the encampment below that they were close. Two figures came out of a tent and shielded their eyes.

Nabooru called, “Katta! Yaido! It’s been a long time!”

“Too long, Nabooru. You should join us in the hunt again.” The woman on the right flatly stated when the group drew close.

“So, these are the squirts you keep bragging to us about? They’re smaller than I thought they would be.” The other woman asked. Her slanted eyes examined the children far below her. She opened the flap to the tent and ushered them inside.

It was surprisingly cool. And when Link was passed a cup to sooth his parched throat it nearly froze his hand. They had, of course, brought their own water skins for the journey but something as refreshing as this was wonderful. The tent had about half a dozen other hunters inside sitting on the ground. They were now staring at the newcomers, some excited, others reserved. The children naturally drew closer together, now a bit shy with unfamiliar people.

“Yup!” Nabooru finally answered after downing a cup of the frothy drink. She pointed to each one when she named them, “This one here is Riju. She’s a rascal. Next is Pearle. Dalia is Lorn’s daughter. If you don’t remember, she’s in charge of the maize crop production. And the last is-”

“Is Link. It’s obvious, Nabooru. He’s the only Hylian male in our tribe.”

A long moment of uncomfortable silence passed. Nabooru didn’t miss the slight disapproval that slipped through Yaido’s statement. She simply frowned.

Link looked down, a bit embarrassed. It wasn’t the first time he had wished he was born a proper Gerudo. Many in the fortress didn’t point out his differences so bluntly, either out of respect for Nabooru or they had just gotten used to him. Still, it was unsettling to be stared at so much.

Finally, another woman broke the uneasy silence with a boisterous exclamation. “Well then, kiddos! What do you want to know about hunting?”

She was tall, her body stretching along the side of the tent with one hand propping up her head. Then again, all the hunters appeared to be taller than the average Gerudo. Giving a friendly smile she added, “I’m Kota, by the way. Leader of this hunting group.”

The children all looked at each other. They weren’t sure what to ask. Dalia just looked into her cup, while Riju and Pearle just shook their heads. Link really didn’t want to, but the task had fallen to him. So he asked the first thing that popped into his mind.

“How do you kill a leever?”

Kota must have liked his question because she threw back her head and laughed. “Straight to the heart of the matter, I see!”

The tension that had built up in the tent relaxed somewhat with her joviality. She padded the carpet she was relaxing on and said, “Alright, sit down, and I’ll tell ya all about it.”

Once everyone was seated and comfortable in the rather overcrowded tent she began. “There’s generally three different ways to kill leevers. First is to use arrows. But they can take a lot of them and the results ain’t pretty, so we try not to go that route. Second is swords or spears. This can work well if there’s only one or two. If there’s more than that, you should just run. Ya don’t want to get in the thick of ‘em when they start spin’n. But those weapons can also waste a lot of their precious juice, if you’re not skilled in taking them down quickly. So, the most efficient is actually trapping them.”

“Trapping?” Link asked disbelievingly. He was a little shocked at the idea. His image of the hunters was of bronzed women using spears and bows to chase down their prey over long distances. At least, that’s what he got from Mother Heruta’s stories.

“You’re surprised?” Kota raised a brow.

Link again fidgeted. He was aware enough to realize that he had asked a silly question, but he had no idea why it was silly. He finally mumbled, “It’s not how Mother Heruta told it.”

There was a moment of silence, then the room burst into laughter. Link got very red in the face and hoped he could just dig into the sand and never be seen again. Noticing his embarrassment, Nabooru exclaimed, “Oh Link. We’re not laughing at you! It’s just that we all know what you mean. Mother Heruta loved telling the story of the Great Heroine’s Hunt to us too!”

“That’s probably the reason we all became hunters in the first place!” Kota added, still chuckling. She sobered up some to explain, “The legend of the Great Heroine’s Hunt is just that; _legend_. Reality is different. Now, I want you four to remember what I tell you. Are ya listen’n?”

The four children nodded their heads.

“Good. First is that you should _never_ go into the desert alone. Even we skilled hunters, who know the desert better than anyone, never go out without at least one other sister. There’s far too many dangers to be on your own. Second, is to always bring your weapons with you.”

Kota paused to take a drink. A thoughtful look crossed her face and she said, “The heroine may have used the rusty swords and spears to kill the giant molduga, but I believe she would’ve had a much easier time, and not been injured, if she had brought her sword and spear. You should never take those chances. Don’t leave things to fate, because she is a cruel mistress.”

A variety of ‘yes’ums’ and ‘darn rights’ rose to the top of the tent. Some of those with deeper scars shook their heads vigorously in agreement.

“Third, no talking birds exist. I know that’s hard for ya to believe, but it’s true.” A few chuckled when Dalia and Riju began to pout.

“And fourth, and this is the lesson you _should_ take from the story, is believe in the power the Desert Goddess granted you. You may not have shown to have any magical power, _yet_ , but it is there. The Goddess of the Sands as well as the Golden Goddess Din watches over us, because we are those that endure. We have proven our might and merit over and over again as we’ve not only survived but thrived in this abominable place.”

Kota paused to look the children in the eye. It wasn’t hard, they were enraptured by her voice which was as beautiful as a coyote howl. “So, recite to me the seven mantras.”

Riju was excited now. She finally had a moment to shine. The others followed her lead in repeating the song-like words:

“I am a child of the desert. I will not disgrace the Goddess of the Sands or my Tribe.

“I am a child of the desert. I will respect the laws of the land and follow the orders of my leaders.

“I am a child of the desert. I will protect my home and sisters from disease, suffering, and invaders. Though if the Golden Goddesses will it, it shall be.

“I am a child of the desert. I know my duties and I will complete them to my upmost capability.

“I am a child of the desert. I know the dangers of the world, but I will not fear them.

“I am a child of the desert. I know from which way the wind blows that it will lead me home. I will survive.

“I am a child of the desert. The desert will always be my home though I may travel to foreign lands.”

Nabooru smiled. She remembered the day she found Link and so stubbornly recited the mantras in her head. The Goddesses were truly watching over her that day.

When they were finished, Kota leaned back, looking satisfied. She said brightly, “You’ve done well to learn those. They are something that will help you in hard times.” Somberly she said, “And we Gerudo live in hard times a lot of the time.”

The tent was now comfortable. Everyone seemed relaxed in happy company.

Suddenly, Link remembered his original question. And he asked in positively child-like seriousness, “But what about the leevers?”

There was a befuddled moment of silence but then the tent again burst into laughter. This time Link was OK with it.

“Oh… haha…. I got so side tracked. Sorry about that kiddos.” Kota had a hard time finding the air to breath. “Well, if ya really want to know, why don’t ya watch?”

**~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Thirty minutes later and the entire group under the tent was standing at the top of a tall dune. Bularia and Nabooru stuck to the children like glue. Their relaxed stances didn’t fool Link at all. He knew they were upset. They had tried protesting, but the children and Kota convinced them that it would be a good learning experience to watch the hunt.

Pearle pointed at a strange dark mound far below them and asked, “What’s that?”

Kota replied, “It’s a water bubble. There’s actually a lot of water far below us, underneath all this sand. In certain areas the pressure around the water is greater than the sand on top of it so it comes bubbling to the surface.” The children stared at her in awe. The concept of a lot of water underneath their feet was too much for their little minds to comprehend.

“But it only happens during certain times of the year,” Kota burst their delightful little water-bubble with ease, “This is one of the reasons life can exist out here. If you’re skilled enough with magic ya can pull the water out of the sand and drink it. But that’s a lesson for another day.”

Growing stern, the hunter ordered, “Listen. If you see one of those dark mounds, be very careful. It attracts leevers and all sorts of dangerous creatures. Now, watch what happens.”

The children all nodded solemnly. They obediently observed five of the hunters carefully walk along the tops of the dunes. Each hunter was carrying fine strands of silk wrapped around their arms with stone weights attached to the ends. In another hand, they carried a spear.

Link asked, “I thought ya weren’t suppose’ta use spears?”

Kota looked at him, somewhat surprised he remembered. “Not quite, kiddo. They’re necessary for killing the leevers, but you have to know what you’re doing. Most novice hunters just randomly stab the leevers hoping that will take it down. And well, it does, but at the cost of wasting the juice and awful tasting leever meat. Now, stay quiet. They’re about to begin.”

With a nod from each of the hunters, Kota gave the signal. They then slowly walked down the slopes. Each step was measured and carefully sunk into the sand. But, Link thought, they kicked a surprising amount of sand down into the center. When they were about ten paces from the mound, the sand suddenly exploded. The children gasped in surprise. Dalia clung to Nabooru and Bularia placed a protective hand on Riju. Link just stared in awe at the scene before him.

Weird green things with spikes were rotating violently across the sands. They bobbed back and forth between the water mound and the hunters, growing more frantic with every careful step the hunters took. Suddenly, the spiked things stopped and began rotating in the other direction. The leevers, once enough speed was built, hurtled straight for the women.

The hunters quickly backed up as they threw out some of their silk strands. The strands were caught in the barbs of the creatures, and as they kept turning, the hunters kept releasing the strands in quick circular motions off their arms. When they were halfway through their supply, they jerked on the silk. This made the leever pause it’s erratic spinning and lurch forward. In that moment, three of the five women brought their spears down into the center of the leever. The other two women had to keep backing up, having missed their opportunity. But they again repeated the jerking motion, and this time their aim was true. They quickly dragged the leevers out of the pit and back to the group. The hunt was over.

Kota nodded her head and called, “Well-done. We’ll take these back to the grounds now.”

The children were shouting in excitement. They got to watch a real hunt! And even though it was nothing like Mother Heruta’s stories, it was still amazing. Riju and Pearle began jumping up and down and waving their arms in childish glee.

Then, something truly unfortunate happened. Riju lost her footing in the lose sand and knocked into Pearle, who then crashed into Link. Bularia managed to grab Riju before she fell, but Link and Pearle tumbled a long, long way down the dune.

Head over heels, face plowing into the rough sand, hands grabbing nothing but air, Link couldn’t fathom what had happened until the spinning eventually stopped. He heard shouting coming from someplace, but he was too busy trying to spit sand out to really pay attention. Next to him Pearle was gagging. Once he rubbed some of the sand of his eyes he realized with horror where he was.

He and Peale were right next to the water mound.

Link quickly jumped up and started pulling Pearle to her feet. She was still hacking, but he could see his fear reflected in her eyes when she too grasped what had happened.

He looked behind him to see Nabooru running down the slope, with the hunters following behind. Feeling relieved, Link took a step forward to meet Nabooru.

But then the sand started shifting all around him.

Just like earlier, leevers exploded from underground. These ones seemed bigger than the ones the hunters caught. They were taller than him and Pearle, so he only caught glimpses of Nabooru and the hunters now.

The leevers were now spinning frantically in a tight circle around the children. The scared little kids backed up, only to realize that they were losing ground on all sides. Pearle hugged Link’s arm and screamed.

The spikes were coming dangerously close to hitting them. Link tried to swallow, but his mouth was dry. Sand kept hitting their faces making them want to blink and turn away, but the scene was too frightening.

Link stumbled and fell on his butt, dragging Pearle with him. He had no idea what to do! Nabooru wasn’t here yet, and the leevers were right on top of them. Link’s eyes were wide, and his lip quivered. Pearle clutched his arm tighter and wailed again.

As her fingers dug into his arm, Link learned something. He was afraid. Terrified. He wanted to scream like Pearle. But… he couldn’t stay down like this. Not when his sister was right next to him and in danger. The mantras passed through his mind, lightening quick:

_I will protect my sisters._

_I know my duties._

_I know the dangers._

_I will protect my sisters._

_I will not fear._

_I will survive._

_I WILL protect my sisters._

He sunk his hands into the sand, desperately thinking of what to do. His fingers touched something cold. Something metal. Without thinking, Link yanked it out of the ground and held it in front of him. He pushed Pearle below him, as he unsteadily stood up. The leevers were inches away now.

Scared, but unwilling to let his sister be hurt, Link snarled and lunged forward, the small piece of metal held tightly in his hand. A few of the sharp barbs cut across his arms and Link cried out.

He barely managed to touch the side of the leever with the metal when it exploded. Thick, green mucus was splattered everywhere. Link closed his eyes and brought his bleeding arms up to his face.

All of a sudden he was lifted off the ground and cradled in strong arms. He couldn’t see who it was that picked him up, but he felt instantly safe. Then he heard Nabooru’s surprisingly calm voice say, “It’s OK. I got you.”

Link was jostled about as he was carried back up the hill. He heard Pearle still wailing behind him, but it was muffled. He could also hear Riju sniffing and crying over and over, “I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” as they made their way back to the group.

Once at the top, he finished wiping the gross stuff and sticky sand out of his eyes. He blearily looked around. Bularia was kneeling next to Riju, holding her to her chest with one protective arm wrapped around the screaming girl and the other clutching a spear. One of the other women had both hands securely on Dalia’s shoulders, who was frozen with fear. Pearle was held in the arms of Kota, who had a rather sick look on her face.

In a sharp voice, Kota commanded, “Alright, we’re leaving. Everyone… be careful.”

Link still clung to Nabooru. He looked at her face. She glanced at him and tried giving him a smile, but there was a far-away look in her eyes and a wrinkle that marred her forehead.

Link then rested his chin on her shoulder and looked behind them. Below, splattered all across the water mound were the leaking carcasses of the leevers.


	10. His Answer

**Time’s Saga**

**First Life: Prince of Power**

_“The crafty Lynel wasn’t about to just let our hero go. ‘Answer me a question, and if it is the correct answer, I will let you pass.’”_

**Chapter 10: His Answer**

“So the boy protected his sister?” Ganondorf asked, rather pleased. He was, of course, sitting in his study.

“From what I saw, he was doing his best in the situation. Standing over Pearle and stupidly trying to attack the leevers with the rusted dagger I think is foolhardy… but brave. So yes, he was protecting her.” Kota quickly confirmed. Looking down in shame she added, “Of course, they should’ve never been in that situation in the first place.”

Ganondorf sighed. The dedicated hunter rarely came to the Fortress in the first place, so to have her here in such a poor mood was unfortunate. “Kota, you did well. I can see no failure in your actions. Teaching the children what a real hunt is like is appropriate and everything was handled correctly. The accident would’ve been difficult to prevent but no one wasted any time getting the children out. You acted well,” he emphasized the last words, as if trying to push the tribal pride back into her weary soul.

He mused in final thought, “It may have been a terrifying experience for everyone involved but some good has come out of it.”

Kota looked at her King doubtfully and pointedly asked, “Good? Link is injured. How is that good?”

Frowning at her skepticism, King Ganondorf explained. “Obviously his injuries are a concern. But the reason as to _why_ he got them is what I’m most interested in. He may be a child, but he willingly faced a threat standing up to protect his sister. Just as we’ve been teaching him to do.”

Kota pursed her lips. She understood what he was saying, and she wasn’t sure how she felt about it. Having a Hylian male be so accepted by the tribe was… unusual to her. She spent most of her time in the desert, so she wasn’t involved in the day to day activities of the Fortress. Kota and the other hunters had missed Link growing up, so his subtle influence on the rest of the tribe had passed them by.

Of course they heard a lot about Link from Nabooru, who now only came to hunt a few times a year. If anything, they blamed Link for her lack of presence in the desert. So to hear her King acting almost giddy about this development, and he _was_ rather excited despite his stony mask, threw her for a loop.

She had to ask, “If I may, what are you planning on doing with the boy? I don’t get to hear much in the desert and all Nabooru does is sing him praises.”

At this, Ganondorf sat a little straighter. Kota got the feeling she asked something she shouldn’t have. The King used carefully measured words to make his intent clear, “I _do_ have plans for the boy. And they _do_ concern the tribe. But until it is time to explain I will stay silent on the matter.”

Crossing her arms in a gesture of respect, Kota slightly bowed. “Of course. If I’m no longer needed, I’ll return to the desert.”

Ganondorf extended his upturned hand in peace. “At least stay for the night,” he insisted, “You haven’t been in the Fortress in a while.”

Kota nodded and smiled. It was true. Being a Hunter meant sacrificing the companionship of the tribe for the thrill of providing for them. It would be nice to sit down and have a meal surrounded by everyone.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

Nabooru sat in the dining room with Link in her lap. Her closest sisters were circled around them and chatting away. The other children weren’t with them, so Link was quieter than usual.

Riju was so distraught by what happened that she made herself sick. She probably wouldn’t come out of her room until morning. And Lorn had taken Dalia and Pearle to a quiet corner for dinner. Both had somewhat recovered from the terrifying experience, but they still needed someone close to lean against. The wise gardener had taken one look at the distraught Nabooru and insisted she would take the children for the night. Nabooru agreed but she continued to keep Link within her arm’s reach. So when her age-mates forcibly dragged her to another spot, Link came with.

Nabooru tried not to sigh but Link still felt her chest heave. He shifted a little and tried picking at his food. It was a bit difficult because of all the bandages wrapped around his arms.

When the group made it to the Hunter’s Grounds they did some temporary bandaging and healing to stop the bleeding. Link was a bona-fide champ for most of it, but he screamed bloody murder when the drops of red potion touched his open wounds. Nabooru could relate.

Red potion was very useful for clearing out disease and infections on wounds. And when ingested it helped the body recoup quicker. But when poured directly on a wound it burnt like nothing else. And it tasted _awful_. But it was an important healing component, so they used it despite Link’s high-pitched protests.

After the emergency patchwork session was done, they returned to the Fortress and immediately took Link to Mother Heruta. She was skilled in curing all types of ailments even with the fussiest of patients. Incredibly she managed to only have Link sniffle when she needed to apply more red potion. The deep cuts would leave scars, but Link wasn’t in any immediate danger. And he didn’t appear to have an infection, which Nabooru reminded herself to thank the Golden Goddesses for.

When Link tumbled just out of her reach, Nabooru was possibly more afraid then she had ever been. The only thing she could think of as she chased him down the slope was her vow to the Great Deku Tree, and therefore the Goddesses. She was supposed to _protect him!_

Nabooru suspected that Link would face much more terrifying things than leevers in his future, but she didn’t want him to have to face those kinds of things _now_. So currently she was debating in her head. It was tearing her apart, having to decide whether he should face all his fears now, while she was around to comfort him, or lock him up in his room so nothing could touch him. A low sound of frustration emitted from the back of her throat.

“Boo-bu! Stop that!” Sheelia scolded. Nabooru frowned at the name. She never did like it. “You’ve been moody ever since you got back from the desert. Cheer up a little!”

“Yeah, I mean, everyone got back OK. Even Link’s acting more normal than you are and he’s the one that got hurt- OW! What was that for?” Hirena spoke. Nabooru’s other age-mate, sitting to Hirena’s right, smacked the foolish woman over the head.

“That’s exactly why Nabooru feels bad! Link got hurt,” Uula explained. Then she passed Hirena a small piece of bread as a peace offering.

Hirena snatched it and stuffed it in her mouth before countering, “But my point still stands. Link doesn’t seem to be worse for wear. Isn’t that right, Link?” She leaned over and poked him in the belly.

Link wiggled and tried brushing her hand away. He didn’t say anything, but his pointed look said it all. _What do you think you’re doing?_

The gathering of girls burst into laughter. Even Nabooru started to smile. Link looked up and noticed. Then he broke out into a grin, his blue eyes mischievous and shining. He started poking Nabooru in the side hoping to get a reaction.

And react she did.

“Ah, stop that Link!” She tried grabbing his arms, but then thought better of it. Realizing he had an advantage with the bandages, Link mercilessly moved in for the kill.

“Ahhhh! Stop, stop stop! Sheelia, help!” Nabooru cried piteously. She was now laying on the floor with Link on top rapidly jabbing her sides.

And it tickled like crazy.

“Help, ya say?” Sheelia wolfishly grinned.

Realizing her mistake, Nabooru tried sitting up. But it was too late. The others rose around her like vultures and started finding her vulnerable spots. Nabooru started shrieking.

The entire affair was making quite a racket but no one in the dining hall paid any mind. They were used to these antics by now.

Finally having enough, Nabooru pushed off the ground with relative ease, knocking her sisters to the side. She caught Link before he crashed to the floor and held him up under the armpits to look at him. Staring him in the eyes, she scowled.

Link only offered his brightest, most innocent smile. Biting the inside of her cheek, Nabooru tried forcing the laughter back down. She failed utterly. Link began giggling as well, and pretty soon the whole group broke down to childish laughter.

“OK, Mister Mischievous. You may have won this battle, but I get to carry you like this!” Nabooru twirled him around and Link laughed for another two seconds until he realized his predicament. She held him by his waste, pinning him against her left hip. Link now closely resembled a sack of potatoes.

Not liking his position, the sack of potatoes began kicking his legs. “Oh no ya don’t! This is fair punishment for that crime you just committed!”

Link huffed resignedly and lay still. The other girls just glanced at each other while hiding their wide smiles behind their hands. Sheelia, in fact, looked like she had tears in her eyes. They were all glad; Nabooru was finally acting normal.

Uula offered Nabooru a rolled flat bread with leever meat inside. “If you’re leaving, take this. You really hadn’t eaten much of anything.”

Nabooru smiled, took the offering, and said, “Thanks. I’ll see y’all later.”

They waved, and she turned to leave the dinning room. Link, now facing the girls, gave an enthusiastic wave back, much to their delight. Once they were out of sight he then slumped over and allowed Nabooru to carry him wherever she desired. A few minutes later though Link was putting up a struggle. He was getting light-headed and Nabooru’s strong hand across his tummy didn’t feel good, especially after eating. Sighing, Nabooru put Link down. He quickly straightened up and rubbed his belly. After a quick glance around, he noted that Nabooru must have taken the long route to his room. He looked up to see her facing away from him.

She quietly said, “Come on. Let’s go back to your room.”

Link reached a bandaged hand out and Nabooru took it. It felt so… normal. But there was an underlying tremble in the squeeze. She started walking but was gently pulled back.

Finally turning to face him, she found him pouting. He was looking at her with his water-blue eyes and his lips pressed together in displeasure. She was about to ask him what was wrong when he blurted out, “Ya know I’m OK, right, Nabooru?”

Shocked, Nabooru just stared at him. Link usually didn’t have outbursts.

Link pressed on. Little tears were threatening to spill over as he pleaded. “It hurt, but I didn’t get hurt _that_ bad. Mother Heruta said I was a champ and that I would have, uh, some-uh ‘lovely first scars’? And that I should be proud-of-em cause I did was right in pro-tet-ting Pearle. So please, Nabooru, pwlease! Don’t be sad. I’m OK. You came when I needed you. And I love you, so please, don’t be sad.”

The piteous little voice made Nabooru’s throat constrict. She had only cried three other times she could remember, but after today’s panic attack and with all her fears and failures crashing over her it was hard to keep her composure.

Link’s little arms suddenly curled around her legs and squeezed tightly. He leaned back to stare at her with those beautiful, wretched eyes. Nabooru couldn’t keep it in anymore. She knelt down in the hall and embraced her little boy.

Then she cried.

Her shoulder shuddered and great whooshes of air escaped her. Nabooru wasn’t sure if there was enough air in the world to fill her lungs again. Her face was wet and the little droplets that fell to the ground echoed in the empty hall. She squeezed her eyes shut and sniffed. Everything and nothing seemed to escape her thoughts. She was still tense and now had a slight headache, but she felt so… reassured.

Her little boy was right here. Right under her hands. He was _alive_ , and that’s all she needed right now. To feel his little heart beat under her finger tips. To feel his warm breath tickle her ear. To just hear him say those words. Oh, how could she ever let him go?

Link, on the other hand, was now a little frightened. His eyes were wide in shock as his face was covered in bright red hair. He had never seen, nor heard, nor even comprehended Nabooru crying. Ever.

He didn’t know what to do besides wrap his arms around her neck and squeeze. He softly said, “I’m right here Nabooru.

“…

“…

“…And I can’t breathe.”

After a final shuddering breath, Nabooru relaxed her grip. She leaned back to look Link in the eye. Link looked stared at her, confusion and worry and love swirling within his deep blue eyes.

She finally dared to ask, “Why did you do it? Why did you stand up to fight the leevers? You could have been hurt a lot worse or maybe even killed! You’re too small, Link. You’re too small for this big world.” She muttered the last part with her shoulders sagging a little.

Link put a small hand on her larger, stronger ones and said earnestly, “I had to pro-tect Pearle. Like the man-tra says. I am a child of the desert. I will protect my sisters. I know my duty. I know the dangers of the world, but I will not fear them. That’s what a Gerudo’s suppose’ to do, right? I was scared. But Pearle was even scared-er. So I had to attack the leevers. To protect her.”

It took Nabooru several long moments to finish wiping away her tears. With a loud sniff, she placed a hand over her eyes and tilted her head back. Her lips formed silent words, giving not a clue to what she was truly thinking. She stayed like that for what seemed like an eternity, clutching Link’s shoulder for support.

When done with whatever it was she was doing, Nabooru gave Link a defeated look, but somehow there was still a small smile. Drawing him in for another tight hug she fiercely whispered, “Yes. Yes, that’s exactly what a Gerudo is supposed to do.”

Link hugged her back. It was forever and a day before they broke apart. Finally, it was Nabooru who pulled back, stood up, and offered her hand.

“Well, should we go to your room? You should play your ocarina. It might help Riju feel better.”

Link immediately brightened. “I’ve been working on a new song! You should hear it!”

He then started tugging on Nabooru’s arm. She just laughed and quickened her pace to match Link’s lively skip.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

Unknown to either one, in the hall they just passed Ganondorf stood still. He had been on his way to eat dinner in the dinning hall, which was a rather rare occurrence these days since he had been holed up in the study, when he heard the two in the hall. He quickly weaved a darkness spell to avoid any embarrassment as he knew Nabooru was a proud woman. Prouder than most, so she never cried in front of anyone. At least until today.

He didn’t approve of eavesdropping on his sisters, but when she asked Link that important question Ganondorf stuck around to hear his answer. A large smile crossed the King’s face when he heard Link’s honesty. The boy was quite right; that _was_ what a Gerudo was supposed to do.

Happy with the development Ganondorf released the spell, folded his arms behind his back, and continued on his way. He almost felt like whistling he was so happy. His plans were coming together nicely. Soon he would have to start training the boy personally.


	11. Questions

**Time’s Saga**

**First Life: Prince of Power**

_“This is how the Sage came to enlightenment: He wondered.”_

**Chapter 11: Questions**

“Stay focused Link. You’re not bringing your arms up high enough,” Nabooru reprimanded.

Link could hear it in her voice; her patience was growing thin. So he was quick to raise his arms a little higher but after a few repetitions they started falling again.

They were in the courtyard, the barren expanse between the walls of the fortress and the gate, and Link was training with the other children. They were only doing simple exercises like moving the scimitar in vertical or horizontal lines or thrusting with a spear. The first day they got to hold the weapons the children were excited. Now, five months later, it was a chore.

Life got to be very busy for Link and his fifteen sisters in his age group. After Link’s Great Leever Incident, a phrase Riju coined for that traumatic experience, Link and his age-mates rested a day to make sure everyone was really OK. After that, they visited three more places; the silk production site, the mines and black smiths, and the archives. They were interesting, but nothing left quite the impression on Link as the Hunter’s Grounds did. He wasn’t sure if it was because he had a near-death experience or that he just really admired the hunters and their bravery.

“Link, I’m not going to tell you again.”

Link swallowed and tried to focus on mastering the simple stroke. It was hot out, despite it being only mid-morning, and he could feel his skin starting to tingle. As a Hylian he had fairer skin than his sisters. In the past when he spent long hours in the sun Nabooru would cast a spell on him that would prevent his pale skin from burning. Recently, she had been withholding her help in a lot of areas.

She was still the friendly Nabooru who came by his room to listen to his songs, but ever since the incident she seemed to have made up her mind about something. When they were out practicing, like now, she constantly pushed him to his limit. And she always made sure that he was meeting her expectations in other skills, like magic, reading, or math. And those expectations never wavered or bent under his pleading. Eventually he gave up after speaking with Mother Heruta. Her reply was that a Gerudo should never complain about things that made them stronger. So Link quietly and almost passively accepted whatever it was the adults asked of him, though the feeling of expectation seemed to grow and not diminish with each accomplishment.

Link chewed on his lip and glanced around. Riju was to his left and Dalia on his right. Behind him were the other girls born around the same time he was. Most were concentrating their efforts, but several were slacking off. Link frowned and turned back to his own swinging.

One of the guards was keeping a beat with a tambourine, as a way for the trainees to swing together. Link didn’t like it. Every couple of beats the rhythm was thrown off just slightly. He doubted anyone else cared, but it bugged him to no end.

Noticing that Nabooru was walking his way Link made sure to steady his hands and swing a little harder. When Nabooru stopped in front of him Link chanced to look up. She still had a disapproving frown. The next swing faltered.

Slowly Nabooru touched his hands and said, “You shouldn’t grip the scimitar that hard. It makes you too tense.”

She rearranged his hands and pushed his shoulders back a little. Standing back she nodded. “Alright, do it again.”

Link began swinging the sword to the beat again. He couldn’t figure out what Nabooru wanted. When he tried concentrating like she told him to his grip became too tight. But holding the sword as loosely as he was now caused it to wobble all over the place. It seemed like a no-win situation.

Growing more frustrated as the minutes ticked by Link was very relieved when the guard gave the signal to stop. A collective sigh could be heard from all the children as they put away their swords, but no one uttered a word. By now they were trained to stand quietly in their rows before being dismissed.

Nabooru slowly walked around the group, looking them over. She then stood next to another warrior, Rubolson. That woman was terrifying. Tall and with rippling muscles all along her body, Rubolson was quick to knock any disobedient child back into line.

The older woman peered down her nose at the children below with a frown, then said sharply, “Dismissed.”

The children turned as one and walked in a line into the fortress. They broke ranks once they were out of sight of the adults. A lot of the girls started chatting away but Link just dragged his feet. Dalia grabbed his hand, smiled, and silently pulled him along. Link smiled back and quickened his pace. Soon enough they were at their room to change their clothes.

The girls quickly stripped off their tops while Link struggled to pull off his own. Mother Heruta sewed a crafty piece of material for Link to help prevent the sun burning his sensitive skin. It had snug arm sleeves which tapered to a point at his hand. The shoulder-and-chest piece was plastered against his skin, but the silk material still allowed for ample movement. The outfit was a bright green, like the rest of the children’s. Mother Heruta said it signified youthfulness and new beginnings. Link just thought it stuck out against the red and brown rocks, so the guards could spot misbehaving children easier.

Finally released from the crop-top, Link tore off the rest of his clothes with gusto. He took the stone Dalia handed him and started cleaning his sweaty body. His sisters were already fixing their hair when he finished. Riju snapped her hair tie into place with her hair actually looking worse than before training. Link didn’t mention it though, opting to ask instead, “What are you doing today Riju?”

Riju just frowned and moaned, “Back to the glassblowers. It’s boring. All they have me do is sort the colored sand and glass.”

Link just shrugged as he pulled on a clean pair of pants. Riju’s excitement working with the glassblowers quickly died away after the first few weeks. Her age-mates had heard nothing but grumblings from her since then.

“Well, I’m going with mother to the gardens. It’s gonna be a lot of fun!” Dalia spoke up. She seemed to be the only one who truly enjoyed going to work.

Pearle rolled her eyes and said, “You always enjoy the gardens. And weeding plants is _not_ fun.”

“It is too! And watching plants grow is a lot of fun!”

“OK, OK.” Link grabbed their hands and pulled them out the door. Everyone was finished, so they were just wasting time.

“What’s your deal, Link?” Riju asked a little disgruntled at being herded along.

“Aaroot doesn’t like it when I’m late.”

“Oh, more magic? Or is it numbers today?” Pearle asked.

Link just shrugged. “I donno.”

On the last day of their field trips the children were told they would be separated into different areas of work. Riju’s enthusiasm placed her with the glassblowers. Dalia naturally went with her mother to the fields every day. Pearle split her time between the stables and blacksmith. And Link…. Link wasn’t sure what he was supposed to be doing.

Every month he traded places. He first started in the stables with Pearle. Then he got moved to the glassblowers and hauled a lot of water. Then it was to the mines in the middle of summer. They were stuffy, but he preferred the darkness over the scorching sun. Then he helped take care of the baby moldugas which produced the precious silk that their tribe was known for. Now he was spending most of his time in the archives learning the basics of magic and academics from Aaroot.

The kids walked to a crossroad in the hall. Link lightly knocked his knuckles against his sisters’. It was their secret handshake which they always performed before leaving each other.

“See ya later,” he called as he walked down one path, the other three heading outside.

Link quickened his pace as he was a little worried that he wouldn’t arrive in time. Aaroot was very strict about timing. The old woman liked to have her schedules adhered to, but Link supposed this was why everything ran so smoothly in the Fortress. He just really hated to be on her grumpy side, which always happened when he was late.

He lightly knocked the bell outside the doorway, then brushed back the curtain. He walked two paces then stood at attention with his hands behind his back. Aaroot was turned away from him, pulling some books from the shelves. Once she gathered all her materials and turned around, Link suppressed a groan. There was going to be a lot of reading today.

It wasn’t that he didn’t like reading. He enjoyed the children’s scrolls Mother Heruta had used to teach him his letters. But the books Aaroot pushed into his arms were boring. He would have rather spent his time weeding and risking sunburn then try and muddle his way through the oversized words the elderly scholar was drilling into his head.

“Don’t give me that look, Link. If you’re going to be a trader, you’ll need to learn this material.”

Link’s ears unconsciously twitched. This was the first time he heard concrete information on what he was supposed to be doing.

“So I’m suppose’ta be a trader?” he asked with near joyful giddiness. He tilted his head as he placed the heavy tomes on the short table. “Then why did I spend my time in the mines or feeding the molduga?”

Aaroot just looked at him with her face unreadable. She picked up an inkbrush and finally said evasively, “Perhaps. Now, sit at the table and read out loud the first five pages of the top book.”

Link tried not to sigh. Just when he thought he had some idea of what he was supposed to be doing…

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

Two hours later and Link couldn’t stop tapping his knee. He was bored. They had moved from reading about Hylian culture to calculating weights of different foods and their cost. Link struggled with this. He could understand the money part, but estimating sizes and amounts was stressful to him. And talking about food didn’t help his hunger issue.

It was the end of summer and supplies were running low. The hunters brought back less food every day because the creatures of the desert burrowed deeper into the sands looking for water. And the dancing troupes and traders hadn’t come back from Hyrule yet. And obviously the scorching sun was damaging the few crops the Gerudo could cultivate. Link knew Dalia was probably hauling a lot of water from the murky river that sluggishly separated the Gerudo Territories from the rest of Hyrule to save what hardy plants were left. To help preserve their supply, King Ganondorf had ordered only one meal a day. Link suspected they would go to half rations soon, if experience and the empty storerooms were anything to go by.

A sharp rap across the back of his head abruptly brought him out of his daydreaming. Aaroot was glaring at him and tapping the inkbrush against the low table irritably.

“Stop daydreaming, Link, and finish your calculations,” she ordered without a grain of sympathy for the bump that was forming on Link’s head.

Link rubbed his head before returning to scratch the numbers on the wax board. He didn’t have much room to work on, so he tried making his numbers small. He carefully brushed the small pieces of wax that peeled away from his stylus into the crevice in the bottom of the board. After a long line of numbers was completed, he handed the board to Aaroot. She squinted at them for a long time.

Nervous, Link looked around to focus his attention elsewhere. If he got the calculations wrong, he’d have to start over. Which meant a scolding from Aaroot, time melting and resurfacing the wax tablet, and the horrible feelings of frustration and disappointment that came with the whole process.

To keep himself from worrying Link glanced around the room, hoping to find something to distract him. The most notable things in the archives were the tomes lined up in the recessed carved stone shelves. The archives held the history of their people. Their struggles, a few triumphs, and most of all, the written legacy of their kings.

Link understood well what it meant to be a male in the Gerudo tribe. Sometimes he was looked at with awe and reverence, and other times, and he suspected this was due to his Hylian lineage, his sisters gave him a wide berth. It wasn’t mean, but it did make him feel secluded.

Aaroot placed the board on the table and nodded her head in satisfaction. “Good. I noticed that you fixed your mistake halfway through. That’s very good of you.”

A wide grin crossed his face. Aaroot was pleased, which was rare. Link was also happy that he wouldn’t have to redo the work.

The elder seemed to think for a moment before staring him down, “It’s always better to notice your mistakes and correct them before others have to step in and fix your blunders. Do you understand what I’m trying to say, Link?”

Link just looked at her with a blank face. He chewed his lip. He guessed she was talking more than just math but wasn’t entirely sure what he was supposed to learn. He gave a slow, unsure nod of his head.

Aaroot sighed with a slightly forlorn look on her face and muttered, “Doubtful. You’re just a child.”

Link could only stare at the table below him. The elated feelings were gone, replaced by a growing sense of discomfort. His ears started turning red, but he couldn’t stop it. He felt like he had just let Aaroot down for some unknown reason. That feeling of expectancy weighed heavily on him. He started fidgeting a lot. Even though his chest was bare, he felt overwhelmingly hot under his tutor’s stare.

Noticing his flush, Aaroot placed her hand on his forehead. “Are you OK, Link? Do you have a fever?”

Link just shook his head no but allowed Aaroot’s hand to stay. It felt cool and comforting. He finally looked at her with slightly watery eyes. There was no way he would cry, but he was coming dangerously close to cracking.

He finally choked out, “What-What’s wrong with me?”

Aaroot gave him a flat look and replied, “Well, I don’t know. If you’re not feeling good you should go see Mother Heruta.”

With a deep sigh he shook his head again. His words came spilling out now, “No, I mean… what am I doing? Why am I the only boy in the fortress? Why am I Hylian? What am I supposed to do? Everyone- everyone looks at me funny, but they never answer my questions. Nabooru’s told me how she found me, but I don’t get why she brought me here. How can I help my sisters? What -what can-”

A bony finger placed on his cracked lips silenced his hysteria. Link’s voice had steadily been getting higher in both pitch and volume as his pleading continued. Aaroot looked at him in concern, her eyes alight in understanding.

With a gentle hush, she said, “Shhh, Link. You’re OK.”

Link just looked at her hesitantly. It was Aaroot’s turn to give a deep sigh. She sat thinking for several minutes in a silent debate. All the while Link was internally panicking, though his tears were no longer threatening to overwhelm him.

He slumped his shoulders. He was back to square one. Again.

“Link.” Aaroot spoke softly, as if she didn’t want to disturb the morose silence. “Link, look at me.”

Link slowly dragged his eyes up to Aaroot’s face. His lips were pressed in a firm frown. Whatever it was she wanted, he doubted he could give an answer.

Aaroot sighed again and placed a hand on the side of his face. “Link. Be patient just a little longer. I’m going to go to the council meeting. Wait here until I send for you. If things go well, you should get some answers today.”

Link reeled back. His eyes were wide in shock. Answers? Was someone finally going to explain?

Aaroot slowly stood up. “But don’t be disappointed,” she warned, “Things may not go as you expect them to.”

She walked slowly to the curtain. Before she went out, she said, “Stay in here and keep studying those books. I know you don’t want to, but you’ll need that knowledge.”

With those cryptic words, she left. Link was now alone with a bunch of dusty old tomes.


	12. A Path Prepared

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Heaven help me! Trying to write adult words while keeping a child’s perspective is hard work! So I hope this chapter works out.

**Time’s Saga**

**First Life: Prince of Power**

_“This is when the hero of our story knew only she could save her people. She had a choice to make. So when the options were laid before her, she did.”_

**Chapter 12: A Path Prepared**

Ganondorf rubbed his forehead. He hated doing this, but he stoically decreed, “Very well. I’m instating half-rations now. Thank you for your efforts, Aaroot, Sheebra. We’ll have to hold out until the last troupes come back.”

The council all nodded their heads solemnly. They had been through this dance before. None of them liked it, but it was what had to be done.

Sensing the close of the meeting Aaroot raised her withered hand. Ganondorf glanced at her, somewhat hopeful for a solution none of them had thought. He quickly waved at her to begin speaking.

“My King, I spoke with Link today. He’s asking questions.”

Across from her Nafufu stated in a gravelly voice, “He’s always asking questions. What’s new?”

Pointedly ignoring the other elder, Aaroot continued looking at Ganondorf, “I believe his training should be started in earnest. We’ve been moving him from trade to trade so he can better understand our way of life. He knows it’s unlike the other children, so he’s confused. Link-”

With a pause to collect her thoughts Aaroot looked down at her hands. The council hall was respectfully quiet as she formed her next words.

“Link understands perfectly that he is different from the others. So far, he’s either ignored it or it didn’t bother him. But now he’s upset. This constant change is forcing him to recognize how different he is, and for a child his age that’s overwhelming. I fear he won’t apply himself as well to his studies if he isn’t allowed to know _why_ he should study.”

Straightening her shoulders, Aaroot glanced around the room before she stared at her King.  Confidently, she stated, “We need to tell him.”

The silence dragged on. Glances were shared between members, but no one moved or spoke out. King Ganondorf leaned back with his arms folded stiffly across his chest. He stared hard at the richly decorated carpet beneath him, though his eyes gave no inclination as to his thoughts. It was a long moment before he decided to look up. Silently, he moved his eyes around the room to confirm each council member’s opinion.

Nafufu was already prepared for his questioning look. As the oldest, the head production manager was stuck rigidly to the old ways. She had protested Ganondorf’s decision to let the boy stay, but over the years had taken an indifferent approach to Link. She wasn’t about to go against her King, and over a Hylian child of all things. Nafufu’s response was a simple shrug and downcast eyes.

After receiving her answer, Ganondorf moved on to the next council member. Tammorock vigorously nodded her head. Out of all the council, she was perhaps the most interested in Link’s future. She had, in fact, pushed for the boy to have a full understanding of his destiny at the very beginning, but the head trader had been voted down. Now that this opportunity had come to cast her vote again, Ganondorf wasn’t surprised by her reaction in the slightest. With a curt nod to recognize her vote, he quickly moved on to the last in the row.

Sheebra gave a single nod of her head in consent. She too placed some hopes in the boy, but she preferred to do things on her own to help the Tribe. As the agricultural overseer she expected to have little interaction with Link. He would certainly need to learn the basics of how Gerudo survived on their meager crops, but the more important lessons he would need to survive in the world were beyond her cavern domains.

Ganondorf acknowledged Sheebra’s fairly neutral position. He then turned to the other side.

Mother Heruta had spent the longest time with the boy, so she would understand his needs the most. Mother would be the highest judge in this situation. Her simple, quiet consent gave the King great confidence to then look at Aaroot, who was trying keep an impassive face. The scholar had already voiced her opinion, so she simply shut her eyes and relaxed her posture. Her right hand lay palm up against her knee, a sign that she was willing to go with whatever the King decided.

Finally, Ganondorf turned to the general-warrior. Rubolson, with her arms crossed, closed her eyes, but this time is was not for, against, or even abstinence of the proposal. Ganondorf waited. He knew she was weighing the possible outcomes yet again. It was a trait that led her to be the great commander she was today. A minute ticked by, then another. Slowly, Rubolson uncrossed her arms, opened her eyes, and gave a sure nod in approval.

A ghost of a smile crept along Ganondorf’s lips. Satisfied with the Council’s agreement, the Gerudo King uncrossed his arms and placed his hands on his knees.

“Very well,” the gravely words seemed distant compared to the silent communication that had passed through the gathering these last few minutes. “We shall tell the boy of his future.”

Ganondorf picked up a small bell next to him and rang. The two guards stationed just outside the door swept back the curtain, walked two paces in, then bowed to one knee. The King said authoritatively, “Bring Nabooru and Link here.”

The guards lay a fist over their hearts and nodded.

Aaroot added helpfully, “Link can be found in the archives.”

Quickly, the two stood up and hurried to find their respective persons.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

Link was pacing back and forth. He tried reading the books like Aaroot wanted but he just couldn’t concentrate. So he took to first running around the room. Moving made him feel better.

But then the minutes ticked into years and he was still stuck. He slowed down and began looking at the covers of the scrolls and books. An old looking scroll that had a pretty red ribbon tied around it caught his eye. Impulsively he plucked the scroll out of its place and turned to sit on the floor to examine his new prize.

The ribbon was beautiful, dark red and silky to the touch. It was looped around the scroll several times and tied in an intricate knot in the front. Curious, Link picked at it. Once it was partly loosened the scroll unraveled in an explosion of dust, seeming to unknit itself along the way.

Link sneezed. After wiping his nose he leaned over the scroll which had fallen out of his lap. Though he stared at the text for a long time he couldn’t make out what it said. The letters were odd-shaped and discolored. Instead of the swirling black-colored marks of the Gerudo or the thin, straight ink-lines of Hylian text, these characters were blocky and brown colored. Interestingly enough, there were a lot of different symbols interspersed between the small lines of script, things like water droplets, or a hand, or jagged half-formed triangles.

Just as he was about to trace a waterdrop symbol a ding resounded throughout the empty room. Link jumped up, nearly stepping on the fragile scroll.

A tall woman pushed past the curtain and brusquely said, “Link. The council wishes to see you.”

Link froze for a moment. The Council? Aaroot said if he was patient, he would get some answers. But why the Council? Swallowing down his quickly rising fear, Link followed the guard out and into the hall.

He was led past a few sloping hallways then came to a hall with only one door at the end. There was a single guard standing outside and when she saw the two approach, she turned to ring a bell.

A moment later Nabooru passed through the curtain. Her face was twisted in an expression Link didn’t understand. She knelt down to be at eye level with him.

Before he could ask what was going on, Nabooru spoke seriously, “Link. The Council wants to talk with you. Now, before you can say anything, you need to do that special bow I taught you. First to King Ganondorf, then to each side of the Council.”

Link opened his eyes wide. His fear came rushing back.

“Are you ready?” She asked. This time her voice was soft and full of concern.

Link squeaked, “Yes-s?”

She squeezed his shoulders, then stood up. Brushing back the curtain, Nabooru glided through the entrance with Link following close behind. When she stopped, he did. She knelt down before King Ganondorf and reverently bowed, and Link was quick to follow suit.

Nabooru didn’t need to go through this custom again because she had just spoken with the Council. But she knew Link was scared and leading him though the oblations would help him be less afraid and gain the approval of the council. Having risen from the first bow, Nabooru turned to the right with Link mirroring her actions. They then turned to the left and repeated their movements.

When Link came back up he saw that Nabooru was beckoning him to sit in front of her. He was quick to skootch across the floor and was about to climb in to her lap when she shook her head no. She then gently turned him to face Ganondorf.

Link looked up. He had, of course, seen King Ganondorf before. He was their leader and judge in the desert and had directed the tribe’s many ceremonies. The man sometimes came down into the dining hall to eat and talk with the women. A few times early in the morning Link had seen him standing atop the Fortress, doing complicated movements with his swords. But being scrutinized by his King in the Council Hall was completely different. It was terrifying.

“Link.” Ganondorf’s voice resonated throughout the quiet chamber. The boy’s eyes widened. “The Council has been made aware that you have questions.”

Link looked fearfully at Aaroot. He wasn’t in trouble, was he? She only smiled and dipped her head subtly in a sign to nod his. Link looked back at the King and nodded his head quickly. There was a long pause. Nabooru gently poked him, and he realized he was supposed to ask his questions.

He looked up pleadingly and asked in a small voice, “What… What am I supposed to be doing? Why am I Hylian and not Gerudo? Why was I brought here?”

With the last question, he slightly turned to Nabooru. She blinked, but her face gave nothing away.

“Link.” Ganondorf spoke again. Link immediately snapped forward. “Before I answer your questions, I need you to answer mine. Do you love the Tribe?”

Link nodded his head vigorously. Some of the adults may have ignored him and his sisters may have teased him. But he loved them all dearly.

“Would you work your hardest to help your sisters thrive in this desert?”

Link again nodded.

“Would you lay down your life so that a sister could live?” Ganondorf sternly asked. Nabooru stiffened.

The child noticed her reaction, but he didn’t pay much attention to it. This time Link answered with a surprisingly steady voice, “I am a child of the desert. I will protect my home and sisters from disease, suffering, and invaders. Though if the Golden Goddesses will it, it shall be.”

The old women around him seemed to relax a little. Mother Heruta even beamed at him. Ganondorf, though, wasn’t finished.

“Link, do you pledge your absolute, undying loyalty to the Tribe and to me, the King of the Gerudo?”

Link’s eyes got a little wide and he shook his head yes. When he saw that Ganondorf didn’t react, Link hesitated. What did King Ganondorf want? A quick glance to Nabooru, Mother, and even Aaroot gave no answer.

Link chewed his lip for a moment, then an idea came to him. He slowly moved into a kneeling position. All eyes were riveted on Link as he performed the deep bow again and said clearly, “I do.”

When he pushed off the ground and dared to look up, the King was smiling. The man’s lips were drawn back to nearly his ears and his eyes shone brightly. His hands were now relaxed and laying comfortably in his lap, instead of stiffly gripping his knees. Ganondorf gave a short nod to encourage Link to sit back up.

Link likewise relaxed. He tentatively smiled back at the King. When he felt a soft hand squeeze his shoulder, he looked up to find Nabooru grinning at him with her eyes shining. It was that moment Link knew he did something right. He faced Ganondorf confidently and eagerly awaited to hear whatever it was his King wanted to tell him.

Rubbing his chin in thought, the Gerudo King finally spoke, “What do you know of the Hylian Civil War?”

Link tilted his head, a little confused as to how this answered his question. “Um…. A lot of people died?”

Ganondorf nodded his head, his smile now gone. “Yes. Many of our sisters died. It was a bloody mess.” A faraway look came over him as he explained the history.

“Just a few months after I was crowned I pulled the Gerudo out of the conflict. This was just after the Hyrulian King got most of the nobles under his control. The Gorons and Zora then followed suit, each leaving the conflict for their own reasons. Over the past decade there’s been a tentative peace between the nations. The Gorons, who had sided with the Hyrulian King, have been prosperous. The Zoras, after signing and abiding to multiple treaties are also experiencing prosperity. We Gerudo are not. Do you know why, Link?”

Link shook his head emphatically. No, he didn’t. He was just a kid. And he really wished the adults would just get to the point already.

It was Aaroot who spoke next, “It’s because Hyrule is a prosperous nation.” Her gravelly voice made the words sound as if the world was doomed.

“Even during the war they prospered. And when the Gorons and Zoras agreed to become their allies, to the point of becoming vassal-states, they too began to share in the riches of Hyrule. We Gerudo are not a vassal-state of Hyrule. Six years ago, the Council decided to pursue vassal-ship under the Hyrulian Monarchy.  Many Nobles don’t want us to be considered citizens, so they stop us in every way possible. It’s been a long and slow process.”

Link blinked. He wasn’t sure he understood at all. “Sooo… somebody in Hyrule doesn’t want us to be like them?”

The scholar quickly clarified with a wry grin. “We will never be Hylians. But yes, several someones don’t want us to prosper like them.”

“Well, that’s not nice,” He muttered while folding his arms with a frown.

Mother Heruta chuckled. “No. It’s not. But we have you.”

A bit startled, Link turned and gave her a questioning look. Now he was very confused. The adults were taking a very long time to answer his questions.

“Link. We are going to use you.” Ganondorf’s deep voice echoed.

Link faced him and found his King staring him down like a hungry lion. Surprisingly, Link didn’t feel afraid of either Ganondorf’s stare or statement. He simply gave a slight nod of his head.

With a smile dancing at the edge of his lips at the boy’s fearlessness, Ganondorf expounded. “When Nabooru found you six years ago, we were afraid of the repercussions of taking in a Hylian child. An incident occurred that convinced me you would be beneficial to the tribe. You held vast amounts of power, Link.

“Fearing you, the Twinrova took away much of your magic power without my permission. In anger, I banished them to the Colossus and I kept you here, at the Fortress. I felt indebted to you because you could have made a good life for yourself, even if you were raised a pauper’s son, with that well of magic. Without it, you would have likely died as a baby if we sent you back.”

Ganondorf scoffed, “Few are willing to raise orphans in Hyrule. Hylians don’t understand the contributions a single person can make to their nation. But we Gerudo do. We are a tribe of individuals held under the banner of our suffering. We look out for each other.” Many of the Council nodded or hummed in agreement with this statement.

Link tried not to fidget. He didn’t want to think what life would be like without his sisters. The hall had grown quiet as the King fell into silent musing.

“For the most part, we tried to keep your existence a secret to Hyrule,” Ganondorf started up suddenly. “But two years ago a sister slipped up and started talking about you while in Castletown. Since then, I’ve had to answer multiple times to the Nobles of why we Gerudo are raising a Hylian child. In response, they’re boycotting-” here Ganondorf remembered he was speaking to a child and rephrased his words, “not buying our silks or glasswork.”

He gave a great sigh. The King seemed to age ten years in a second. “This is why life has been so difficult these past two years. Between an increase of children and a lack of supplies from Hyrule there’s not enough for the tribe. Our sisters are _suffering_ , Link.”

Link swallowed hard. His eyes were round and glassy. A truly sad look came over him. Again, he didn’t understand all of it, but he knew enough that he was, somehow, the cause of his sisters’ hunger.

“You’re not to blame, Link.” Nabooru said softly. She brushed some bangs out of his eyes in a comforting gesture, but her voice took on a slightly hard edge. “The Nobles have been doing everything in their power to get rid of us. They thought they could use you as their excuse. It shows how dishonorable they are.”

Link only felt slightly better. Nabooru’s kind words were something he would always trust. But all this still didn’t help answer his most important question.

“What am I supposed to do?” He really, really hoped to get a straight answer this time.

The council’s foremost trader, Tammorock answered. Her voice, though light and beautiful, carried heavy weight. “Link. Though you’ve pledged you undying loyalty to the Gerudo, and you live and breath like one of us, you are still Hylian by birth.”

Link shifted uncomfortably. He knew that already. It was blindingly clear that his skin and ears were different from everyone else’s.

“That is not something to be ashamed of, Link.” Tammorock assured. Her wide smile could have rivaled the sun in brightness. “In fact, a Hylian raised Gerudo is something we sisters need. At least that is the conclusion the Council came to six years ago. When the time is right, you will go to Hyrule and intercede on our behalf.”

“In-ter- _cede_?” Link interrupted. These adults kept using too many big words.

“She means that you will go and help make peace between us and the people of Hyrule,” Mother Heruta answered kindly. Link was getting a little tired of having to turn his head to look at every speaker, but he focused on the elderly woman with a slight frown.

“You’re our bridge to prosperity, Link.” Mother insisted. Her voice was surprisingly powerful, coming from such a thin body. “The nobles and merchants disrespect us, and the peasants fear us. But as a Hylian they will be more open to you. You can help us trade more fairly and perhaps be the delegate – or the person who represents us to the King of Hyrule.”

Link furrowed his brows and said slowly, “Sooo, you want me to be a trader?”

Mother Heruta smiled. “That. And much, _much_ more.”

Link frowned at that. It sounded like a big job. He wasn’t sure he wanted to do it. As if hearing his thoughts, Ganondorf spoke in all seriousness. His voice was quiet, but it resonated with a strength Link didn’t understand.

“It’s a big job, Link. But you’re the only one who can do it. This is why you need to start focusing on your training. You’ll need to learn a lot before you step into Hyrule. So I’m going to ask you again; Are you willing to sacrifice yourself for your sisters? Will you do your best to pull them out of poverty? Do you swear allegiance to the tribe you love?”

Link thought deeply of the questions. Instinctively he knew this was something he just couldn’t immediately answer and be done with. He closed his eyes in thought, his lips puckering slightly.

The stone room was silent. None of the adults dared to interrupt this moment of decision. Everything that needed to be said was said. The tribe had raised the boy for six years, but still their work would not bare results for many more.

Straightening himself, Link carefully breathed in. He knew his answers were still the same. Not much had truly changed, but in a way everything did. He better understood the situation, and himself. He was still a Hylian boy living among the Gerudo. An oddity. But an oddity who dearly loved his adopted family and was willing to do anything for them.

And now he knew _what_ he could do.

Link looked King Ganondorf straight in the eye and with a firmness that belied his age, declared, “I swear.”

The atmosphere of the room visibly changed. Nabooru and Mother Heruta smiled proudly. Aaroot and Tammorock allowed small smiles while Sheebra and Rubolson nodded their heads in approval. Even Nafufu didn’t scowl at him like she usually did.

King Ganondorf remained impassive, though a certain quality seemed to wash over him, and change his ever stony demeanor. With a firmness to match the bold child’s, he replied, “Good. Because your training now begins in earnest.”


End file.
